AlienvsZim
by Darkmoose84
Summary: This was an idea I had while watching Zim once and thinking about all the Alien references Jhonen made in JTHM and I Feel Sick. DATR, ZAGR, and GAMR elements included, along with other characters outside Zim. Invader ZimCJhonen Vasquez. AlienCDan O'Bannon
1. Chapter 1

He couldn't believe they had taken this long to get it in. Dib's radar tracking device took a full month to get replaced. The heat sinks had given out when he tried to tweak it to pick up larger shapes.

"How could it have taken you guys this long?" Dib said holding the phone close to his head.

"Hey, man, you know you're not even supposed to have this stuff," the lady on the other end said, "So, feel grateful I'm doing this for you at all. You know me, Dib. I give you good service on my own time."

"Yes, Helena, I know," Dib said with a sigh, "And I do appreciate it. It's just I wish you could be a little more punctual sometimes."

"So what's the hurry anyway," Helena said back.

"What?"

"You sound like it's a big emergency."

"Umm, well…" Dib stuttered nervously. This was not something he wanted to discuss with her. "Helena, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to stick with our original deal of don't ask, don't tell."

"Fine," Helena grunted slightly but without sounding too agitated. "Just don't complain at me if it's late. Again, you shouldn't even have this, so I shouldn't have to work on it."

"Fine, sorry," Dib said, calming down from the nervousness that clouded his mind. He wasn't thinking about their conversation; he was thinking about what he saw the last time he took a glimpse at the radar. "I'll be right over to pick it up."

"See you then," Helena said slightly playfully and hung up.

Dib was a paranormal investigator, just like his school test and lifelong dream had prophetically foretold. Much to his father's disliking, he majored in parascience and parapsychology and got his MS at one of the more prestigious universities in Florida. Since then, he had aided two FBI agents in cracking down on unknown alien bounty hunters, provided information to a major reporter and fellow investigator, survived a New England haunting, discovered the tomb of Abdul Alhazred, and was currently trying to figure out how to exercise the haunted radio he took from a foggy, demon infested town near Taluka Lake (and it must be said, he had still been unsuccessful, even after months, on the endeavor). This dream job of his, however, was a nearly thankless task that paid him just enough to pay his rent, eat at Chicky Licky's when he could, order and repair equipment, and pay the nursing home to keep his father in care (of which his sister aided). It didn't matter; money was less of a concern to him. He was finally doing what he loved.

Dib looked out the window of his apartment for a moment. It was cloudy yet again today; it had been for a week in San Jose. He grabbed his coat and what he needed to make sure the radar worked and left.

Dib lived alone. He had a girlfriend for awhile, a nice girl name Gretchen, but she recently left him for someone from "out of town." It had been around the same time the U.F.O. came out of sky, so he was curious about the coincidence. Yet, it didn't bother him as much as it normally should have. He wondered why for awhile, but then realized why. It wasn't that he was unattracted to Gretchen, but his eyes had always followed the stars; his heart followed the girl from them. He never thought he'd be attracted to an invader, but he couldn't help it. He had seen a light in her eyes, those fifteen years ago, one that wasn't just from her mind eraser. He had always prayed she saw the same.

It didn't help that, whenever he got into his car, the first thing on the radio was Silverchair's "Miss You Love." He kept driving. If what he thought he saw on that radar was correct, he had to stay focused.

Then one of the most predictable things happened, in the form of a traffic jam. Dib honked his horn a few times to get the person in front of him to move, as it seemed this imbecile was the only person standing in his way from seeing the danger that surely faced Earth. The driver in front of him, an old man with a shiny bald head and crotchety knees, got out of his car and began walking towards the front of it. He then began flailing his arms wildly and in an upward motion, causing a collection of mallards to fly away into the sky to Dib's left.

Dib watched as the ducks flew off into the cloudy sky, below them was a beautiful yet wet grassy knoll with a sign that looked like it was half bleached and half smeared with mud. On this sign was a holy symbol and a phrase that clearly read "Come as you are." Something about the image of the birds, the natural setting, and the slightly ruddy sign affected Dib in a way he could not explain; it wasn't so much just the sign that affected him, but the idea that it expressed in comparison to the rest of this natural world. This gave him a momentary feeling of comfort, that things might still be alright despite the impending doom facing the world.

"Hey," the lobotomized truck driver behind him yelled, "Get the hell out of the road! Some of us have schedules to meet! Doesn't that mean anything to you!? Huh!? Huh!? Doesn't it!?"

Dib looked up and saw that the old man had long since headed down the road and that he was the one now causing the traffic jam. He drove on, being sure to focus on this insane paranoia he had in the back of his mind, with that momentary comfort receding.

He arrived at Helena's shop, a car repair depot, and got out, turning off a fine song by Alice in Chains called "No Excuses". Helena got out from under the truck she was working on and walked over to the parking lot with his radar in hand, as if she had been expecting him.

"Here's your part, Dib," She said with a smile, her face covered in grime, save for around her eyes where the goggles had been. Some of it was in her red hair as well.

"Thanks," Dib said in a slightly relieved tone, taking it in hand.

"And, Dib," Helena said softly, "there's no need to pay me yet. I know things are tight on you right now. Listen, you need to relax. I could tell you were stressed on the phone. If you ever need to talk, call either me or my boyfriend."

"Thanks, Helena," he said, rubbing his forehead, "It's okay, though. I'll be fine. I'm just a little stressed out right now."

"I can understand," Helena stated, "Take care of yourself, okay?" She waved goodbye and headed back to work on that horrid truck that had had its third oil leak this week.

Dib got back in his car and set up the radar equipment, putting the satellite dish on the roof of the car. This radar was able to pick up cloaked objects, something NASA still did not have the technology for. This is what Dib did with his money rather than buy food; he constantly upgraded his technology to beyond state-of-the-art, not just because he wanted to detect invaders, but also to see if and when she might return to him. Upon turning the device on, however, his worst fears had come to life. A very large blip was coming to Earth, prepared to crash directly into San Jose.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Horror in the Heavens/Two Jobs of the Clairvoyant

"We need back up! We're losing men! AGH!" The voice of one of the Resisty officers shouted over the intercom, as he was cut off by the sudden hiss of the static and the roar of the beasts that had now infested the ship. Nar turned it off; he knew it was useless to send another team to that area. The Resisty rightfully stole that ship, but now it seemed the "weapons" aboard it wanted to take over.

Nar pressed another button on his control chair.

"Have you sent out a distress call yet?" He barked into the microphone. The telescreen came on, showing several officers scrambling around.

"Lord Nar, we have, sir," one of the officers said nervously.

"And?" Nar growled back.

"There are only two signals picking us up," the officer said, "The first is from Earth's NASA program saying, 'Stop talking to us; weather balloons can't talk,' and the other is from some private interception line that's just watching us." Upon saying that, another officer wandered onto the screen. He fell onto the reporting officer then collapsed on his back, on top of the consol.

The prone officer let out a final scream of agony before his chest exploded. Out of the bloody hole came another one of the many creatures that now inhabited the ship.

"Oh Gah! Lets get the hell out of here!" shouted several of the crew members.

"Dammit!" Shouted Nar and turned the telescreen off. He spun around in his chair, only to see one of the beasts standing tall in front of him. There was a moment of terror on his face before the beast lunged forhimthiswasavision Gaz was having as she awoke from a restless night. Gaz lay on the couch in a black tank top and underwear, in a half state of sleep and half state of wanting this nightmarish world to just leave her out of it for the day, with a blanket draped over her. The air conditioner went out the other night, and the repairman was coming tomorrow, but that only increased the agony from the summer's heat. She had passed out on the couch watching the newest episode of The Venomous Mongoose, a series that was going downhill but still entertained her. It was probably the only television she would ever watch again; generally she hated the very concept, what with all the reality shows producers decided to waste their money on to create. At least it kept her mind off the visions she was getting.

There was a strong thump on the couch.

"Hey, wake up, sleepy head," was the noise her roommate's voice made, "You're going to be late for work if you lay around longer."

Gaz could clearly see her roommate, Tootie, leaning over her. She blinked for a moment and imagined what Tootie's head catching on fire would look like, giving her enough motivation to sit up. She could only look at her smiling face staring back at her; Tootie was usually full of pep but something was unusual about it today.

Gaz looked away for a moment, picked up the stereo remote and pressed on; the first thing on the compact disc player was the song "5ive" by the lesser known 1990s band Medicine. She liked Beth Thompson's voice but it was hard for her to get into Brad's experimental guitar rifts. Either way, the song made for good wake-up music; it was good to hear something of theirs besides "Time Baby III" repeatedly.

"Guess what?" Tootie squeaked out excitedly, "Timmy's coming back to town tonight! And he's coming over! Er, I mean if that's okay with you."

Gaz looked at her for a moment, half with irritation, and half with acceptance. "Yes, Tootie, it's fine." Gaz rubbed her face, still trying to wake up. She arose and walked to the bathroom, taking staggering steps as she walked. She began brushing her teeth when she got yet another flash of what went on in her dreams. She felt as if something horrible was coming soon, something that, despite whatever struggle she might make against it, would still inevitably find her.

"All we have left to eat in the fridge is pork?" Tootie inquired from the kitchen as the song ended.

"So sue me," Gaz grumbled back through brushing her teeth, "It's an acquired taste. Blame my brother." She walked out of the bathroom and began getting dressed in her black slacks and blue dress shirt, clipping her nametag on the lapel. "Alright, well, I'm off to work. If you really want something else, take money out of the jar and buy you and Timmy some pizza. Just remember, if you buy it at Bloaty's and don't leave any for me, I'm sending a nightmare world your way."

"Okay," Tootie squeaked with a wide grin. Nothing seemed to frighten this girl; Gaz had to respect her at least for that. It's not that she didn't like Tootie; it's just that Tootie annoyed the ever living crap out of her. She reminded her so much of her brother. In fact, she was hoping to pair them up, perhaps jarring him from his obsessive focus on the stars and into the practicality of getting a real job (to pay for their dad's nursing home bill). But, as fate would have it, Timmy finally saw the beauty in her and asked her out. Good for them, Gaz had thought, but that doesn't help my brother at all.

She got into her car and began to drive to the PHONY Gaming industry's building. She worked as a security detail officer. She wasn't required to make any immediate contact with intruders, although she had practiced target shooting. Her job was to investigate the room and make sure there was nothing out of the ordinary. It was mostly a night job but they would call her in on some mornings like today.

She also worked as a spirit medium on the side. In addition to getting clairvoyant images, she could also speak to ghosts. She first discovered this gift around the time she was ten; it was kind of a late blooming thing that apparently her mother had (she found out from her dad). Although the image of her mother faded in Gaz's mind, it still hurt to think about the loss….She turned down an appointment at a troubled man's apartment because she had to work.

On the way over to her place of employment, her cd playlist consisted of several Skinny Puppy songs, including "Assimilate," "I'mmortal," and "Smother Hope," but then immediately transitioned to the voice of Melissa Fahn's singing. This was certainly NOT something she normally listened to, but she couldn't help feeling some unknown, subtle connection with Melissa.

As Gaz walked into the employee lounge to clock in, her manager, Mr. Gethgan, stopped her.

"Hey, Gaz," he said with some concern, "you don't look so well."

"I'm fine," Gaz said agitatedly, "I can still work, really I can."

"Well, Gaz," Mr. Gethgan continued on, "that's the thing; I think you're working too hard. You're one of our best detailers. It's gotten to the point where you know if any intruders are in without even an inspection." It was true that Gaz was not looking her best. She had bags under her eyes from loss of sleep, she looked more pail than usual, and she had not been eating in awhile. With so many worries on her mind, it was hard for her to take care of herself. She did not want anyone knowing about this, which is why she pushed herself harder, which would prevent the very inkling of weakness on her part. "I'm giving you orders to take today off."

If you didn't want to pay me today, you could have called, she thought. But, she thanked him as politely as she could, and left. This did, however, give her the chance to make that appointment she previously turned down.

"Seriously, I want this guy out," the ghost of the old man said to Gaz as she stood in the hallway.

"What does it want?" Reggie the hobo said as he cowered behind a curio cabinet.

"It's a he, and he says you're the one who had been squatting in his basement before he died," Gaz stated nonchalantly, "And, apparently, you took advantage of the house once he passed away. And since this place isn't repossessed, nobody's bothered you about it, so he thought he would step in and intervene."

"Oh," Reggie said as if coming upon some deep revelation and after an awkward momentary pause continued, saying, "But still I have every right to be here."

"Actually, you don't," Gaz bluntly stated, "And I'm required to call the cops if you don't leave right now." At that point, Reggie said nothing and bolted for the door. Gaz began walking out the front door, reflecting on how this was yet another day without pay, which means another day she could have raised money for her apartment and her dad.

"Thanks for getting him to leave," the ghost said as Gaz stepped onto the front porch, "You have no idea about some of the foul behaviors he had. Living with that disgusting hobo made me want to puke ectoplasm."

"Don't mention it," Gaz hissed in annoyance, not at the ghost but at the lack of money. She then walked down the steps of the dilapidated house, got into her car, and drove back to her apartment.

While Gaz was driving back, she got a call from Mandy of all people. Gaz wanted to room with Mandy, but she got married to that irritating moron Billy, destroying that idea.

"Hey, Gaz," Mandy said in that monotone voice of hers, "Are you free tonight?"

"Actually I was thinking of watching Tootie make out with Timmy the entire night," Gaz said sarcastically, "But sure I think I've got a slot of time free."

"Olga and I are going to Club DesTruckt tonight. Sound alright?"

"Yeah that's fine."

"We called you because we know you've been stressed as of late and we wanted to treat you." Generally one would think this uncharacteristic of Mandy or Olga, but Gaz was one of their own. They had to look out for each other if no one else. "Tonight, you'll have no worry of those horrid nightmare visions, just as I'll have no worry of Billy's stupidness. And do try to pick out something nice this time; you got to make the boys there at least somewhat tortured, knowing they'll never get with you."

"I haven't been able to do laundry yet," Gaz responded.

"Well, then steal something of Tootie's; as irritating as she is to me, she has good taste in clothing." Mandy thus reminded Gaz of one of the dark pink and black plaid skirts Tootie had. She would steal that one. "We're meeting at ten."

"Alright, see you there at ten." They said their goodbyes and hung up. The combination of hearing what Mandy had brought up and Dillenger Escape Plan on her playlist, if only for a moment, brought her out of concern about her plaguing dreams.

Right when Gaz arrived in her apartment door, she could plainly see that the same couch she had previously slept on now occupied by Timmy and Tootie making out. Gaz quickly looked away; they seemed to pay her no mind anyways. She took this opportunity to sneak into Tootie's room, purloin the skirt, get dressed, and began to take her GS3 outside to give them privacy, which took up about 45 minutes of her time. And still Tootie and Timmy had not ceased the uncontrollable action left to them. But Gaz turned back.

"I'm wearing one of your skirts, okay?" Gaz asked indignantly. Tootie gave her a thumbs up while in mid kiss, queuing Gaz to leave.

Gaz waited for hours on the steps outside, playing Vampire Piggy Hunter X, wearing the plaid skirt, a black blouse, fishnets, and buckle strap boots. She got several whistles from drive-by frat boys but was quick to ignore them. She was more focused on her game and on her dad's condition. He was too young to be in a nursing home; he was only in his 50's. One would think they would have a cure for his mental ailment by 2017, but they obviously did not. Either that or they were lying to her to get her to pay more hospital bills. Did Dib give a damn at all? If he did, he would not be living his false dream of paranormal investigation; he would have gotten a real job by now. And, dammit, she wanted to raise money for the GS4.

Just then, Mandy and Olga drove up in a black and red jeep.

"Hey, woman," Mandy shouted out to Gaz, "Get in; can't waste time. My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult is playing soon." Gaz got up, put the GS3 into her purse, and stepped into the vehicle. Mandy was wearing a leather bondage dress and Olga had on another variation of a Gothic Lolita outfit. "Feeling any better?"

"A bit," Gaz said somewhat weakly. She was able to let her guard down a little around them.

"Billy's out gaming tonight, so tonight it's just us. Besides, I wasn't about to let you miss a TKK show. Perhaps it'll perk you up."

"I thought you might be interested in this," Olga added, "My sister-in-law is performing in LA next weekend."

"She still into that dance stuff you're into?" Mandy inquired rhetorically. At that moment, Gaz's chest burst open, and a horrid nightmarish creature came out, blood and the beast's anemic body hitting the floor of Mandy's jeep.

"Shit," Olga yelled, "Gaz, are you okay? What's wrong?"

"Is it chest pain?" Mandy yelled, pulling over. Gaz looked down and noticed nothing out of the ordinary was wrong with her chest. There was a moment of heart race within her ribs before she calmed down. "Are you going to be alright, because we can either take you home or get you to a hospital?"

"I'll be alright," Gaz muttered, looking Mandy in the eye, "Promise."

"Alright, but if you have another attack like that, we're getting you home."

They arrived at Club DesTruckt on time. The bouncer had no problem letting the three of them in. The band had just started in with "After the Flesh" as they made their way to the dance floor, which was just behind the mosh pit. Gaz seemed to swallow the song into her dance, letting the music take her. It was as if some external force beyond her comprehension guided her as her body swam with each note in a giant sea of people.

Just then, her pager went off. She looked to check the message. It was from her brother; he said it was urgent that she come see him. Her thoughts immediately turned to dad, that there was something wrong with him. She told Mandy and Olga goodbye, headed out of the club, and took a conveniently placed taxi to Dib's apartment.

On the way there, her thoughts wandered into something she rarely thought about. A good majority of her friends were either married or had boyfriends. My life is too hectic, she always told herself. But it would have been nice, perhaps, to have someone there who understood, someone to connect with, and someone who could comfort her after she would have nightmare visions. Her thoughts turned to someone who annoyed her when she was younger, someone who fought all the time with Dib, yet someone who shared her darker side.

As Gaz got out of the car, in front of Dib's apartment, she looked up to the sky, the stars finally showing themselves above the city of San Jose. She reflected on these stars, wondering how Zim was, hoping that all was well in his world.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – The Easy Choices

Gaz opened the door to Dib's apartment, knowing it would not be locked. Dib never locked the door, yet always had a backup plan if the visitor was hostile. Once inside, she walked into his living room to find him sitting on the couch, a copy of Aliens among Us in his lap, with Tobin's Spirit Guide on the couch.

"Gaz," Dib muttered in enthusiasm, "Thank God you've arrived so quickly."

"This better be good Dib," Gaz said "You're making me miss a TKK concert when I'm uber stressed out and the band members are getting past their prime."

"It is," he bluntly stated, "There's a large Irken spacecraft heading straight for San Jose. If it hits the earth, who knows what damage it would do or what weapons might be aboard it?"

"That's a relief," Gaz said, heaving a breath out, plopping down in a chair, "I seriously thought something happened to dad. You made me worry."

"I'm sorry," Dib said sheepishly after a pause. Just then, H.I.M.'s cover of Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper" came on Dib's mp3 playlist on his computer. The thought of the lyrics did not thrill him at the moment. "It's just if I said what it was in the message, you may not have come."

"Fair enough," Gaz said sarcastically, leaning over with an accusatory stare. "You know our main priority is to worry about dad right now."

"I know."

"And if you cared at all…"

"Gaz, please, not again."

"Can't you just get another job in addition to this, one that would actually pay you decently?"

"Paranormal studies take a lot of my time. It would be hard for me to get another."

"You couldn't at least try," Gaz said indignantly, "You could do something…" She cut herself off. There was a dead silence in the room, save for the music playing in the background, its slow, dark tone adding to the melancholia. Dib was standing up, head facing the floor, tears welling up in his eyes. Gaz was facing the floor.

"Dammit," Gaz said with a whimper and with frustration, "I just want him back the way he was. He's too young and so are we to be taking care of him. He's the last thing we have left; mom is dead, and I don't even remember what she looks like…" She was obviously crying, something she never showed anyone. Dib had rarely seen her cry and it was only on occasions of which he was as well. There was another long pause before Dib finally broke the silence.

"You know," He said softly, slowly, "I was willing to do something else. They offered me a job over at Arkham House Publishing, which would have given me a lot more money. I nearly did take it too."

"Why didn't you?" Gaz asked, calmer than she was. She felt she was showing too much weakness and tried to dry herself up.

"When I told dad about it, he said, 'Son, I'm proud of you. I don't care if you're a paranormal investigator. I want you to be happy.' I tried to tell him I was willing to give up my dream for him, but he wouldn't hear it any other way. He wanted me to be what I had always wanted to be. And that was the last sane thing he said to me. Even after that damn stroke…" his speech started to get slower, and there was a whimper in his voice, "He asked where mom was. He didn't know she had died. He was hysterical!"

Gaz got up from the chair and walked over to her brother, holding him until he calmed down, yet another uncharacteristic thing for her to do. She did not, however, enjoy seeing her brother suffer from inner pain (although outer pain did kind of amuse her).

"Stop cryin', man," Gaz said, "A brother of mine's got to be tougher than that." She let him go.

"Thanks, Gaz," Dib said sheepishly. The song ended and Blue Oyster Cult's "Flaming Telepaths" began to play.

"So, you said this ship was Irken?" Gaz asked rhetorically. She immediately thought of the same person she thought of whenever she looked at those stars. Maybe Zim was on there; maybe he was in trouble and needed her rescue. Maybe the creatures from her visions were on that ship, threatening his life, the life that perhaps they could share together. Dib nodded slowly without thinking about it. "Alright; I'm in."

"Really?" Dib said, stammering, "And here I was thinking I would have to bribe you with the GS4 I won from the McPoop scratch off game…" He had said too much.

"Oh, really!?" Gaz answered back to his momentary pause, "Well, you did take me away from what might be the last TKK concert before those guys croak; I think you still owe me one."

Dib bowed his head, walked to the other room, and came back with the GS4. She pulled the GS3 out of her purse and took the GS4 from her brother in the other hand. Immediately, ghosts that only she could see flew out of the GS3 and into the GS4.

"Thank you, Gaz, for the upgrade," one of the ghosts said.

"Your brother is really dumb for giving this up, isn't he?" asked the other sarcastically.

"Yes…yes he is." Gaz said bluntly.

"Who are you talking to?" Dib asked.

"To myself," Gaz replied.

"My house isn't haunted is it?" Dib asked nervously, thinking she was talking to the ghost haunting the forks in his kitchen.

"You didn't go to Miskatonic University," Gaz stated, "Stop acting so paranoid like everyone from there. So how are we going to get to the ship?"

"By using Tak's ship," Dib replied, "It'll fit us both. I have it covered up on the roof." There was another awkward pause.

"You miss her, don't you?" Gaz asked with a smirk.

"Who?"

"Tak; you miss Tak, don't you?"

"No, of course not. She tried to destroy the Earth, and…It's that obvious, isn't it?" Dib said, giving in to Gaz being right. Gaz nodded, her smirk not leaving her face.

"Uh, huh. Now come on. Maybe she's up there and needs your help. It's about time you got yourself a damn girlfriend." She began dragging him by the arm out of the apartment, with him grabbing his backpack full of tools and the C3 he used when fighting that shoggoth lord in Boston last summer, and up the stairs to the roof.

"Why should I have a girlfriend? You don't have a boyfriend," Dib stated, still being dragged by a now irritated Gaz. That was a bad thing to say.

"You need one to keep track of you and your immaturities," she said with spite, "Besides, I had a boyfriend, sort of…for a little while…"

"Todd, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, until he started chasing an already taken girl."

"Weren't Lenore and Gosh taking a break, and that's how it started?" Dib was saying all the wrong things tonight, and he caught himself after saying it. Before he could apologize, his head hit a stair where Gaz was dragging him.

"Just don't remind me of that, okay," Gaz said accusatorily, "If Tak's up there, you two are getting together. I'm sick of you moping around all the time." Upon making it to the roof, Gaz pressed the button, opening the cockpit, and threw her brother inside head first. "Well, I guess I'm going dressed like this. Now pilot us up and out." She hopped in as well. He didn't argue. After flipping a few switches, the ship was ready to go. Dib took the steering and flew the ship out into the stars, Blue Oyster Cult's original "Don't Fear the Reaper" playing on the satellite radio as they left orbit.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – Dug Up from the Dirt

The Irken woman stood on the stage, higher than the crowd, illuminated by the dim, lower stage lights, dressed in buckle strap boots, black thigh highs, a purple and black plaid skirt, a black sleeveless shirt with the illustration of a purple rose on the front (which matched her eyes), and a fishnet shirt underneath that covered her neckline, her shoulders and ran all the way down to her thumbs. She had grown taller over the 180 years since her visit to earth; by the Earth calendar, that would have been 15 years. As she walked towards the microphone, she received several whistles from various drunken life forms throughout the backwater Devastus bar, Kulgra. There were also other comments, such as, "It's no wonder she can't find work, dressed in Earth clothing," "She still hasn't left that dumb planet," and "Wasn't she the one that started the fight in the asteroid mining facilities?"

"We're just going to do a few songs tonight," the woman said, "before we let the next person go." This was open mic night at the Kulgra, and she had brought two other guys to sing this along with her, Mar and Lem, as well as play instruments. But she normally sang alone for a little money; given the fact that she was unemployed, she had to take what little money she could to live and keep her robot maintained. The first song they sang was "Radio Bagpipes" by the Earth band, Pigface, of which she had taught them the lyrics of earlier that night. For Irken men, Mar and Lem had relatively good voices, and their half round seemed to echo from each wall of the bar, giving a hypnotic effect across the room and out into the now people-less streets.

Once they had finished, the woman began singing yet another Pigface song, "Kiss King," with Mar and Lem doing backing vocals and guitar work. The woman's voice may have been high pitched, but it did not distract from the beauty of it or, for that matter, of her. By the end of the song, her voice became increasingly hypnotic, putting many in the room into an awe-filled trance. Immediately thereafter, she kicked into singing a Meg Lee Chin song called "Nutopia," of which she swayed back and forth to the rhythm of. While in their trance, the audience swayed with her. By the time she reached the end, reciting the last lyric, there was a dead silence in the room as the audience just stared. Finally, there was a cheer and a joyous uproar. The woman shut her purple eyes and reveled in the temporary glory she was receiving, which temporarily made up for not having the glory of being known as "Tak the Invader."

As Tak thanked Mar and Lem for their performance with her and walked off the stage for the next person begin, the manager, Yeglig, handed her some cash.

"20 Zeligs?" Tak protested, "That's all I get tonight?"

"Yeah," Yeglig replied gruntingly, "Well, you didn't sing that long. It's open mic night, and, thankfully, you're the only one I have to pay anything. You're taller now, albeit one without work, you should understand the matters of economics." Tak growled and walked away. She walked over to the bar nearest barstool, sat down, and ordered something she could afford. Anything would do right now. She looked down into the glass and saw her image reflected in it, seeing inside of herself yet not wanting to; she then drank it down with avidity. From across the bar walked Sophie, another Irken woman who Tak had confided in on occasion, dressed in a black dress with blue stripes that matched her eyes.

"Hey Tak," Sophie said cheerfully, despite the fact that she could tell something was wrong, "How is my wonderful, beautiful girl this evening?" Sophie always had an aura of power around her, one of the reasons she and Tak got along so well.

"Hey Sophie," Tak responded, slightly exasperated, but not so much at the recipient. She did not want Sophie to leave, but she did not feel like talking either. It was not that Sophie was generally annoying; Tak just needed her time to reflect. Still, Sophie went on.

"Haven't seen you here in a while," she said, "What brings you back?"

"A message from the Tallests," Tak responded, "They requested me to come here for reassignment."

"That's actually good to hear," Sophie remarked, "You need the work."

"Yeah, no crap I do."

"The last thing I want to see you do is starve, or for that matter, lose Mimi."

"Yeah." Tak did not know how else to respond. She felt drained from all the worrying. She looked back down into the glass and saw the Earth boy's reflection. His eyes were staring back into hers, peering into her soul. He had that same smile from when they knew each other at Skool, before he found out she was an alien to his world. She always wondered if she had another choice, whether or not she would have ignored her mission and stayed on Earth in the guise of a human, just so she could be around him and his smile. Now, she feared it was too late. She never had a boyfriend, as Irkens were not normally given to romance; most were born in breeding tubes. Tak's difference was that her feelings (or at least an inkling of romantic love) were awakened from having been among the humans.

She blinked rapidly for a moment, and his image was quickly replaced with her own.

"You're thinking about him again, aren't you?" Sophie inquired rhetorically. She was looking Tak straight in the eyes, at which point Tak noticed and looked away spasmodically. She knew too well about her telepathy through eye contact. Tak hesitated to respond for the longest time before finally saying something.

"Do you need to read my mind to know that?"

"No, actually," Sophie said back, "It's plain on your face." Tak did not respond; she had nothing to say that Sophie did not already know. "Hey look, maybe you should go back to Earth. The Tallests aren't interested in it anymore. I used to live there myself for a little while. It's a nice place, even for an inferior planet."

"Right," Tak said, "Then I'll end up on some autopsy table. Those people are vicious."

"Now you're just making excuses. I know you blended in well there."

"Dash it all. Oh, he wouldn't want me back. I tried to take his planet. He would hate me if I returned."

"No he wouldn't. I'm sure, after 180 years, bygones can be bygones."

"Maybe so," Tak said, "But that doesn't change the fact that I don't have the money to move back there."

"Anyway, change of subject," Sophie said, waving a hand, "When do you have to meet the Tallests?"

"At about 2000 hours."

"Why, Tak, honey," Sophie said surprised, "that's 15 minutes from now." Tak darted up from her seat.

"Bye, Sophie," Tak blurted quickly, "It's been nice speaking with you."

"Take care," Sophie responded. Tak ran from the bar and out to her hover-jet cycle, which Mimi was guarding. She saluted Tak as she arrived and leaped on her back. Tak fired the engine and raced down the street, a sonic blast trailing behind her. She could not believe she let time slip away from her.

Fortunately, she was not late. She ran into the Tallests chamber, without even speaking to the waiting secretary, panting from lack of breath.

"You were almost late," stated Tallest Black, who was looking out the window at the green-lit city and the black night's sky.

"And that would have been almost unforgivable," stated Tallest Blue, sitting in a chair, behind a desk, twiddling his fingers in agitation.

"I'm sorry," Tak apologized, "I'll try to be more punctual in the future."

"Best be sure it won't," replied Tallest Black in his deep yet gravely voice.

"Otherwise, we'll have you so far in the dirt," followed Tallest Blue, with a deep yet horrid hiss, "no one's going to dig you back out again."

"I can assure you, my Tallests," reiterated Tak, "I'm still eager and dedicated to what you have for me."

"Very well," said Tallest Black. His face could have caused 1000 newly bred Irkens do die of fright in an instant, or so Tak thought. "Now, to brief you on your second chance at being both an invader and a potential tallest. Three days ago, two of our ships, the Odin and the Freyr, had acquired several specimens from the planet LV-426, which we had planned on using as bio weapons during upcoming invasions, such as Operation: Impending Doom 7, as you no doubt know is beginning soon. Yet, upon their leave, these ships were hijacked. The Freyr was destroyed by a pitiful rouge human worm beast, who went by the name of Lieutenant Ellen Ripley; our fleet is still currently tracking her but to little avail. The Odin was hijacked by Nar, the leader of the Resisty; yet, in the case of Nar, he took the ship and desired to use the specimens against us.

"Unfortunately for him, he had little control over the ship, and the specimens got the better of them. Now, the Odin is on a collision course with that useless human planet you previously tried to invade, Earth."

"Your mission," Tallest Blue continued, "along with several others in your very situation, is to locate this specimen and bring it back." He handed her a picture of what looked like a giant pale spider with an elongated tale. "They should already be in containment. If not, your crew is expendable for infection. The rest of the already hatched life forms are hostile and must be dealt with by force. We can deal with the losses."

Tak caught about half of what was being said to her. Her main focus was on what was going to happen to Earth, to Dib, if these things were to run rampant. As she was handed the briefing files, all she could give back was a vacant stare of concern.

"Since recent budget cuts have forced us to move back to ballistics," said Tallest Black, "you have a choice between the standard issue M41-A Pulse Rifle or the Smart Gun, but since we're leaving immediately following this briefing, you'll be unable to change uniform."

"What?" replied Tak, bewilderedly.

"We're leaving immediately," responded Tallest Blue, "So make your choice on the weapons."

"Smart gun," answered Tak, looking down at her outfit, "but do I have to go in this?"

"Since you enjoy dressing like a human worm so much," chided Tallest Black, "why not wear that into a mission?" There was a grumbling rage building in her brain. Had they not been the higher officials, she would have destroyed them both where they stood. She imagined them both melting into pools of puss in front of her, which made her momentarily feel better. Still, maybe it was for the better; at least the outfit was light weight. Maybe after she returned, having been victorious in her "pitiful human" outfit with nothing but a smart gun, these fools would think twice before criticizing her about anything, let alone her personal taste.

She immediately returned to a professional attitude and gave her salute to them, giving the signal that she had accepted the mission.

"Very well," said Tallest Blue, "Launch preparations shall begin soon. But since it is in the vicinity of Earth, and they did send out a distress beacon, you may encounter some humans. So in order to possibly infiltrate them or at least blend in, request you go in human form. I'm sure you'll have no trouble in that." She sighed, an unseen sneer in her lip, and pressed the almost unnoticeable button near her shoulder, transforming her into her human form, one that looked like an older version of what she appeared to Dib as. She followed Black and Blue out of the room, silently reflecting on the dangers that could befall her beloved Dib. Unbeknownst to her, an eavesdropper had heard and seen her entire private briefing. This eavesdropper had no less hid in plain sight, cloaked by his new technology he reveled in, along with his own egotism.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – The Unseen

Zim turned the cloaking device off and stood in the middle of the room. He, like Tak, had grown taller over the 180 years since he left Earth and the Dib monkey. Thankfully, he had never begrudgingly followed him after his reassignment to the asteroid mines.

"Ha, ha," Zim shouted silently to himself, "Foolish elite squad. Little do they know that I, Zim, have heard of this little excursion. Soon, the Tallests will finally recognize my superiority as an invader! I shall utilize my new ingenious devices and take their mission from them, the same way Tak tried to take mine! Turnabout is fair play, Takkie! Gir, have you been making input?"

Gir lay limp, attached to Zim's belt. What little life was left in him read in static. Gir had since been involved in numerous accidents in the mines that had damaged his circuits. But the straw that broke his back was whenever Tak accidentally punched him while in a fight with Zim, this fight being the cause of her unemployment, not to mention Gir, despite being defective, was company property, another cause of Tak's unemployment and debt. There was still a ghost in the machine, but it lay dormant, as the body was inactive. As Zim was talking, Gir's only response was silence.

"I can see," stated Zim, "that you understand perfectly. Come now, let us rain our mightiness and take this doomed mission, on this doomed ship by infiltrating these doomed soldiers!" It was true Zim had the technology an invader would envy. He had designed a mask, which he currently kept on his belt, that would allow him to see in both heat-and-motion and night vision, heavy black and red body armor, a shoulder cannon, a cloaking device, and, of course, his steel spider legs. He pulled out his PDA to check the time, only to find that he had received more emails from Keef, which he was quick to ignore for the moment, as Keef had been doing this for the past 15 months, and also one from Skoodge, which said that he missed everyone but not to worry, as he had settled on Earth with a nice girl named Gretchen; this email dated back a full year and a half ago, kept under suppression by everything Keef had sent him.

There was someone that Zim wanted messages from but never received any. This girl was the one who he always taunted and tormented, as she was indeed human and sister to his enemy, yet who he also felt a kindred dark spirit with. When she was in his lab base on Earth, during the time of Tak's invasion, he secretly slipped into her hand a white piece of paper which contained his email address. She noticed it and, not thinking of it at the time, tossed it into her mouth and ate it outright, not wanting to look at it anymore. She would, of course, later regret it, but that was not of Zim's knowledge. He just kept thinking she would never have wanted to write him, always calling him annoying and spraying him with that filthy Poop cola.

He holstered his PDA and darted out of the room, turning his cloaking shield back on by pressing one of the buttons around his shoulder. He saw the truck with Tak and the others leaving for the launch pad and leapt onto the back, catching the rail. The sky began to rain. The cloak, Zim thought, will keep me protected. The other Irkens walked on in silence throughout the streets, thinking nothing of this wettening. Zim was the only one who seemed to think he could be burned by it. Besides, the cloaking device did not cover all the rain. Zim was just too ignorant to notice it.

The truck drove on through the rainy, neon lit streets of this city in Devastus, the whirring noises of the hover disks trailing behind. Tak sat in the rumbling back compartment, with the rest of the squad who were all wearing heavier armor than her. All she could think about, though, were Dib and how poorly these new Tallests were treating her and everyone else. With Red and Purple, there was honor, respect, snacks, bathroom breaks, and an actual sense of humor. Black and Blue were the Machiavellian conglomerates who knew better business than they did Irken life. Why should she have to listen to them? Why were all these others? They were fools, all of them.

"Ma'am," said one of the soldiers to her, "with all do respect, ma'am! Why are you dressed in that outfit and looking like a human, ma'am?!"

"At ease," she said back to him, "They believe we may encounter humans up there, so I have to be diplomatic with them." She wanted it to be Dib, as he would be able to be diplomatic. Most humans were not. "Now listen to me. Ignore what the Tallests said. I'm making a new backup plan. If we can't get their precious specimen, we're nuking the ship."

"But, commander," the troop questioned, "wouldn't you get court-martialed for going against their plan?"

"At this point, I don't care," Tak stated, "I'll take full responsibility, and make sure none of you guys have to deal with the buggers. I'm through dealing with them. Just make sure you keep this down okay?" The soldier nodded.

They made it to the landing pad, at which they loaded out of the truck.

"Move it, people!" Tak shouted. They lined up at her command. "Alright, load up!" They filed into the shuttle. Tak made her way to her own ship, the Gudrun, planning on using its weapons in case of Resisty attack. As soon as everyone was strapped in, the engines fired and the ships shot into space. Flying through the stars, Tak thought back again to Dib; he seemed to creep back into her mind constantly. She still wondered what might happen if she did run into him again. How would she react? Would she be able to speak at all?

Zim had snuck aboard the shuttle. He was in with the rest of the troops, although they could not see him. He had a hard time standing without any restraint, and to keep from falling over, he had to sit down. The others did not notice; they were too focused on how much of a suicide mission this was. Zim thought back to Gaz, wondering what he might say if he saw her again. He would desire her to talk to him, but knew it might be a long shot that she would even look at him.

When they finally arrived at the Odin, the shuttle's pilot input the remote code to open the docking bay. The ships slowly merged into the respective openings, but not before Tak got a clear look at the Earth, only reminding her of Dib further. The troops loaded out in a single file before breaking up and finding cover in the dock.

"Pon, run a bypass!" Tak ordered, pointing at the blast door, which lead to the hallway. Pon trotted out, in an arrogant brisk, and hotwired the control panel next to the door, which opened immediately thereafter. "Alright, people, lets move it!" The rest of the Irkens quickly filed to the doorway and then slowly proceeded into the hallway, pulse rifles at the ready, Tak with her smart gun likewise.

"They're being held in the med labs," Cos said, holding the motion tracker up along with this pulse rifle and shoulder lamp, "We should proceed north-east."

"Okay, picking anything up?" Tak inquired.

"Negative," Cos responded, "I see nothing." They progressed down the hallway a little further before the motion tracker made a blip. The sound of scampering claws echoed from behind them. Merk was quick to turn his gun and fire a few rounds, the shots likewise echoing down the other end of the blackened void at the other end of the hall.

"Calm it down!" Tak shouted, "We need to save ammunition." It was, of course, Zim he was firing at. Zim hid in the shadows behind them, despite the fact that he was cloaked.

"Yes, ma'am," Merk said sheepishly back, "Sorry." They proceeded a bit further, reaching another blast door. Pon quickly ran another bypass, only to have the motion tracker go off again, this time from five meters in front of them. It blipped once and once only, but that was enough to send the entire team into a temporary heart attack, Tak included but not showing it. They proceeded into the next area, this being a four way crossway. They were now less focused on the mission and more on what made the blip set off.

"Cos, could that have been a rat?" Tak asked.

"Negative," Cos responded, "The ship was never in any areas that could pick up rats." The blip likewise had been bigger than a rodent's size. Silence filled the room as the Irkens made their way into the middle of the cross point. Some of them were shaking, others aiming their rifles in obscure corners.

Out of no where, the motion tracker began blipping incessantly. Cos looked at the read-outs and saw that the creatures were all around. He panicked in silence, petrified with fear. These were not the surviving crew; they would not be hiding in the air shafts. Cos then began yammering and stuttering some incoherent nonsense before running full force down the black open corridor, only to be stifled by an inhuman screech that chilled the bones of the other soldiers.

Zim had been close by the group the entire time. He thought this individuals actions were very foolish indeed. He could see down the hallway the heat signature of that which had now ended the life of Cos, and it was not a sight anyone would care to remember.

"Cos!" they all called out, but with no reply. Merk looked up, feeling something slimy that had just dropped on his shoulder, and saw the eyeless, double mouthed beast above him, screeching and reaching its sinewy, six fingered hands towards him. The shouted once, but that was enough to rally the team to turn and fire in wild wantonness. They were, unfortunately, too late, with Merk's blood spewing from the ceiling.

"Dammit!" Tak shouted, "Alright, people. Stay frosty!" Just then, a huge hole opened up in the floor, sending several of the soldiers falling down into it, firing upward as they fell, hitting Jal and Maw in the head. They collapsed on the floor, lying in a pool of blood. Tak began firing a wild array of smart gun rounds at the beasts that came up from this newly made hole, causing them to burst into pieces and spattering acid here and there.

These things are making my job easier, Zim thought.

Another beast came down from the ceiling and latched itself onto Lec, who was trying to get a survey charge off of her belt. The beast snapped at her with its tongue in her face. Immediately Rue acted in the only way he knew how, to shoot it off of her.

"Rue, stop, they bleed…!" Tak shouted, stifled by the gunfire. The creature did indeed die, but Lec was thus bathed in acid, leaving her dead on the floor.

"Shit!" shouted Rue, who ran frantically forward, causing him to be an easy target from something reaching at him from the floor. Tak, being the only one left, ran for the nearest door, an invisible Zim following close by. Tak fired a few rounds, killing the nearest creatures as the door opened. She progressed inside, as did Zim, but one of the creatures that had been crawling along the ceiling flung its head through the doorway and reached out a claw at Zim. Zim could not think but only act, firing his shoulder cannon and killing the creature, thus giving away his outline to Tak.

"Alright," Tak insisted, "who's the spy? Show yourself!" She raised her gun in his direction. Zim was quick to reveal himself but trained the shoulder cannon on her and revealed two elongated knives from his wrist. They looked at each other with intense hostility, both out of rivalry and the heat of the situation. Zim then hit the door panel with his other hand, which would have shut the door had another beast not leapt into it, screeching loudly. Zim then took his claws and stabbed the beast in the throat, acid pouring onto his armor yet without a burn. The door was quick to shut after the dead monster fell out of it.

"Zim," Tak asked accusingly, "what the hell are you doing here?"

"I don't like you, Tak," Zim said bitterly, "but it looks like circumstances have forced us to work together in this."

"And what makes you think I need you with me?"

"Because I'm the one with acid proof armor and you're the one with the smart gun and layout of the ship. That's why. We'll call a temporary truce for now, but just remember that outside of here, we're still at war."

"Fine," Tak said compromisingly, "But what the hell are you doing on here in the first place?" Zim did not respond; he felt that he needed to tell her nothing. If he was going to share anything with anyone, it would have been Gaz.

"What?" replied Tak, bewilderedly.

"We're leaving immediately," responded Tallest Blue, "So make your choice on the weapons."

"Smart gun," answered Tak, looking down at her outfit, "but do I have to go in this?"

"Since you enjoy dressing like a human worm so much," chided Tallest Black, "why not wear that into a mission?" There was a grumbling rage building in her brain. Had they not been the higher officials, she would have destroyed them both where they stood. She imagined them both melting into pools of puss in front of her, which made her momentarily feel better. Still, maybe it was for the better; at least the outfit was light weight. Maybe after she returned, having been victorious in her "pitiful human" outfit with nothing but a smart gun, these fools would think twice before criticizing her about anything, let alone her personal taste.

She immediately returned to a professional attitude and gave her salute to them, giving the signal that she had accepted the mission.

"Very well," said Tallest Blue, "Launch preparations shall begin soon. But since it is in the vicinity of Earth, and they did send out a distress beacon, you may encounter some humans. So in order to possibly infiltrate them or at least blend in, request you go in human form. I'm sure you'll have no trouble in that." She sighed, an unseen sneer in her lip, and pressed the almost unnoticeable button near her shoulder, transforming her into her human form, one that looked like an older version of what she appeared to Dib as. She followed Black and Blue out of the room, silently reflecting on the dangers that could befall her beloved Dib. Unbeknownst to her, an eavesdropper had heard and seen her entire private briefing. This eavesdropper had no less hid in plain sight, cloaked by his new technology he reveled in, along with his own egotism.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 – Sensing

The Brynhild made its way towards the Odin at a slower pace than when it had during takeoff. The radio was now playing "Kick It" by Peaches and Iggy Pop. The stars seemed to drift on into nowhere.

"And that's when I thought she might have left me for an alien," Dib said, referring to Gretchen. "But either way, I'm still okay with it. I always felt Tak was going to come back." Gaz was only partially listening. She was having yet another bad moment of intuition she wish she could have shut off. Suddenly, a strong force of violence hit her mind, and she knew it was from the Odin.

"Zim's in trouble!" Gaz exclaimed, her voice breaking, "And so is Tak! There's just been a horrible murder up there."

"Is this another feeling? You mean Tak's on there? Really? But what about the dead?" Dib asked spasmodically.

"Dammit, Dib," Gaz asked in an agitated tone, "can't this ship go any faster?" She then reached over to Dib's control panel and hit the boosts to maximum. All she could think about was Zim's well being, fearing that he might be one of the slain. And if they did meet, what would happen? She feared it was going to be a lot more awkward than that time Kimiko shared with her all the guy problems she had been having with Raimundo and Jack.

Dib reached over her shaking arms and typed the code to hack the docking gate. They landed right next to Tak's ship as the gates behind them closed. Dib picked up his backpack and looked out, seeing the blast door to the hallway was already open and fearing the worst for Tak. Gaz felt the same way about Zim but would not say it to her brother. She ran over to the Irken shuttle and found two more pulse rifles inside, taking them both. She handed one to Dib and cocked the other.

"Gaz, you know I don't like these things," Dib said.

"Whiner," Gaz chided, "It's them or you this time. Now, come on. Lets rock."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 – Discordant Reunion

DISCLAIMER: Some of this may get perverted, but the perverted are punished for it, so please bear with me.

Dib and Gaz made their way through the darkened corridor, the red emergency lights the offering only a little visibility here and there. They walked cautiously, but with less fear, as Gaz sensed no life forms within the area.

"Getting anything?" Dib asked.

"Nothing living," Gaz stated bluntly.

The two reached the opened blast door, which, due to the lack of power throughout the ship, had not automatically closed since Tak's team went through. The presence Gaz did feel, however, became stronger in the four-way cross. Through the darkness and patches of red light, Gaz could see clearly that which this effect emanated from, the irken spirits, all of who stood and stared at her, looking as they did when they had died, each standing over his or her respective corpse. Some had their throats torn while others were covered in acid burns, but each had a sullen look on his or her face, at least what was left of it. They told Gaz the story, not with words, but with their very sight.

"We're looking for two of your kind," Gaz said to them, "Can you tell us where they went?" In unison, each of them raised their hand to the closed blast door behind her.

Tak and Zim ran down the corridor, their boots clanking against the steel floor.

"Okay," Tak said smugly, "We need to get to the captain's chamber. He should have a keycard for the electrical generator control room. If we can get the power back on, it should allow us to open the security lock on the engine room, which, if I'm not mistaken, requires electronic security to get through each of its doors."

"Why would we need to go there?" Zim smarted off.

"We can then destroy the ship if we destroy the core," Tak stated in a frustrated tone.

"Hey, I'm just after the specimens," Zim stated also quite frustrated, stopping in his running to rant, causing Tak to stop and listen but only by reflex and not by choice, "I could care less about where this ship crashes. Be it Earth, all the better. Anything circumstances can do to that filthy piece of space dirt, I'll be most satisfied with. Soon, the Tallests will recognize the greatness of ZIIIM when I bring them what their filthy elite could not!"

"Did you not hear what the Tallests were saying?" Tak stammered, "I knew you were there in the room listening with us; I'm not a fool. I told the troops that if the worst case scenario happened, I was defecting. They can't treat us like puppets or some commodity."

"I've heard enough from you, foolish human lover," Zim shouted, pointing at her outfit, "I'm off to the medical research labs; I'll have no trouble finding these specimens on my own."

"Fine," Tak blurted, "Go get yourself killed for the cause of being further controlled. I'm destroying this horrid piece of company property on my own."

They could have killed each other there, but did not. Something inside of them told them not to, that there was still some honor among rivals, and there would be fights for another day. Zim turned his cloaking device back on and ran back the way he came. Tak continued running through the near pitched darkness in the opposite direction. She stopped again, however, to pull her PDA out of her backpack and, after hitting a few buttons, reactivated Mimi who was waiting in the Gudrun.

Mimi opened her eyes. She sat up and flipped out of the ship. Having been ordered to remain in earth mode, she transformed into her cat form and, responding to the remote signal of Tak's PDA, darted through the open blast door and into the darkness.

Dib looked at Gaz with a sense of dread, not knowing who or what she was speaking to in the dark floating nightmare machine that was the Odin. He was not so much frightened by the prospect of the supernatural but rather the unknown. Who or what could be standing next to him in the red light? Could it be a dread spirit without a face, could it be one of the restless dead, or could it be an avatar of Nyarlathotep attempting to fool Gaz into her doom?

He then felt something brush past his leg, causing him to jump what felt like a mile into the air, only to have him land back down to see what it was. Mimi stopped in the middle of the room and looked at both Gaz and Dib, studying over them before darting off through the opposite open door.

"Mimi!" Dib shouted and, reacting on impulse, darted down the dark hallway of the unknown. He was going to see Tak again; maybe she could give him comfort where his clairvoyant, angry sister could not.

"I'm going to see if she leads me to Tak," Dib shouted back, turning his head, "I'll meet you later, okay?" he then disappeared into the murky black emptiness. Gaz shrugged and opened the door behind her, thanking the spirits before walking through into her own darkened corridor. The spirits looked at her with a longing and sorrow few could ever see even within the mortal world. They then evaporated into the air to roam about the ship in tormented agony, waiting to be set free, to pass on to what they deserved.

Dib ran frantically down the hall, holding his hated pulse rifle up every now and then, in case of enemies. He did not want to use it but was too afraid not to have the comfort of some firearm. It was hard, however, to watch the patches of light (they were blue in this area for whatever reason) and to still keep pace with the ever fast Mimi.

He then heard something moving in the dark further up the hallway.

"Hello?" Dib inquired. He then held his rifle tighter, in tense hands, wobbling his aim left and right. He then could not help himself but continue forward through the darkness. Whatever it was continued forward as well, making a stomping noise against the metal as it walked. He began walking slower, but that eased none of the tension.

The walking stopped, however, when Dib collided with what was in front of him. The blue light switched on above them, in a delayed electrical impulse, to reveal that he had run into Tak and knocked her down on her butt, her human form fizzling for a moment before returning to an older version of the form he had first met her in. He had fallen on his butt as well.

It took a moment for Tak to recover when she noticed that her skirt was not where it needed to be. She flipped her hands in front, climbed to her feet, and grabbed up her weapon, sticking it in the face of whoever knocked her down.

"Freeze!" Tak shouted, "I don't know who you are, but stay right there! And you better not have seen anything; otherwise, you're dead where you sit!"

"Relax, Tak," Dib said as sweetly and as meekly as ever, causing her to finally recognize the voice as his and see that it was his face she was sticking the gun in. His heart raced at the very sight of her, without him paying any attention to the gun. He could not believe that he was finally face to face with her again. She looked just as beautiful as she always had been to him. His inner soul felt ablaze.

"Dib," Tak said with an awkward shock, yet still not lowering the gun, still unsure of his purpose here, on guard against him foiling any more of her plans. "What the hell are you doing here?" There was a moment's pause. "It's not safe."

"I'm here because I'm trying to save my planet again," Dib said clearly, making it sound as if it would have been obvious. They looked at each other for a moment, a look of both mistrust and yet a sense of longing. Tak lowered her weapon, her strong irken will giving way. "I'm going to destroy the ship before it hits the ground. I'm not about to have anyone in my city, or for that matter, all of California hurt. Try and stop me if you like but…"

"Then, Dib," Tak interrupted, speaking in low words, "it seems we have the same goal. I'm trying to destroy it as well."

"Really?" Dib asked, perplexed, "But why?"

"I'm through being a puppet of the Tallests," Tak said, looking to her side, "The new Tallests are not as benevolent as our older ones had previously been. They made me and my team a commodity, even after offering me the possibility of being one of them." Her arms began to shake. "I would have laid my life down for our older leaders, but there is no heart, no life in our new leaders, only ambition."

"I could think of someone else like that," Dib said sarcastically, rolling his eyes, thinking of Zim.

"Dammit, Dib," Tak said, not agitated with him but with what was on her mind, "Those things…they killed my entire team in a matter of minutes."

"What things?"

"The xenomorphic life forms! The bug-dragons, with no eyes and two mouths!" Tak blurted out, looking up at him, their eyes meeting. Dib looked deep into her beautiful, violet eyes and saw a clear agitation of spirit, along with something else, something he could not define, something formless and indefinite. She looked into his deep brown eyes, which showed a clear genuine concern and, likewise, something indefinable. For a moment, she stopped being a soldier and began being humanoid again, falling forward to wrap her arms around Dib's neck, holding him for comfort. "Dammit, Dib, what are we going to do?" He held her in his arms, comforting her in her overwhelming despair.

"We'll stick to your plan," Dib said, "We're going to blow up the ship, get ourselves and my sister out of here…"

"Gaz is here too?" Tak interrupted.

"Yeah," Dib said softly to her, "and apparently Zim is as well." He ended with a sarcastic tone.

"Oh how well I know," Tak said with a laugh, "and it's your plan too." She got up from him, patting one hand on his chest to reassure him of the fact, the other hand on his shoulder. She moved off hesitantly, only to then revert to soldier mode and begin to walk away to grab her gun.

"Well, since you're not going to kill me now," Dib said with a nervous smile on his face, "I guess you could spare me that I accidentally got a peak when you were on the ground. Blue, right?" Tak looked back at him, her face smug and mouth scrunched to the side. She stepped toward him and slapped his face.

"Must you blurt out everything in that large head of yours?" She turned to leave, grabbed her gun, and continued down the hallway, Mimi following close by, a motion tracker screen popping out of her back. She looked back for a second and made a smile she made sure Dib would not see. Tak was flattered, and did not know why; all she knew was that it felt wonderful.

"And if you tell anyone that I hugged you, you're dead. Got it?" She asked back to him, yet in a pleasant voice.

"Scouts honor," Dib responded, still able, despite the light, to see that she was happy to see him again.

"Coming or not?" Tak asked.

"On we go then," Dib said, readying his rifle and proceeding back into the black gulf of the unknown, this time with the company of the one he secretly loved.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – The Wrong Foot

Gaz continued down the hallway, her rifle ready. She had no motion tracker, but that did not bother her, given her "gift." Still, it never hurt to stay ready for anything. She would be sure to make her shots count; there was very little ammunition at her disposal. Her cellular phone was clipped to her belt; they were in close enough range to the Earth satellite that if Dib tried to call for help, she could still hear him.

As she progressed down the hallway, however, she began picking up a presence. It was a generally hostile presence, but was by itself, unlike the creatures from her dreams, which moved in packs. Still, she remained on her guard, moving over to the opposite wall from where she felt it, looking in each direction without a clear sense of its precise location.

Zim continued running down the hallway, his cloaking device keeping him hidden from whatever may be waiting in the walls. He could at least be sure there were no rat people in the walls, not anymore anyway. He continued running until he heard footsteps at the far end of the hall. He stopped and, in his pause, saw through the heat readouts that it was a human form holding a cool metal rifle. He turned off the heat-and-motion to see that it was none other than Gaz, walking down the hallway his direction through the patches of red light before staggering a bit and moving towards the wall.

He felt something he could not define in his stomach, something that made him uneasy to even look at her. Yet at the same time he could not deny a burning passion within his heart that he wanted her to see him, to recognize him, to connect with his "soul," as the humans called it.

"I don't know who you are," Gaz said, "but you better show yourself soon. Otherwise, I start shooting." Zim kept quiet, yet took a few silent steps towards her direction. Gaz left the wall and moved to the center of the room.

Zim looked at her with the juxtaposition of longing and despising restraint. He felt his unrequited feelings surfacing within him. She looked so different than when he saw her last, yet at the same time, very much the same, still just as beautiful as always. He wanted to reach out and touch her, to hold her, to satisfy this feeling that completely distracted him from his ambitions. He held out his hand, to her direction, only to retract it, in fear that an angry human voice would prevent him from getting close to this beautiful siren.

"Alright, you know what?" Gaz asked what seemed to be the empty blackness, "You're not worth my time. I'm leaving." And with that, she turned to go down the hallway. Zim felt his squeedly spooge sink. He had to do something. He reached out to grab her shoulder, to keep her from leaving him.

This step forward caused him to trip. He fell forward, and the hand that was meant to caress her shoulder instead ended up brushing her plaid skirt, flipping it in such a way that instantly sent sparks up her back in rage. She flailed her leg at the invisible assailant, hitting him in the head and causing him to fly back and hit the wall. This violator made himself manifest as his cloaking device shut off.

Gaz was then able to see clearly who it was that violated her personal space, her skirt no less. Zim's head rocked back and forth from the blow, his mask having fallen off. Gaz had a moment of feeling embarrassed, and had she known it was him, would she have acted differently, at least with less violence? Ether way, she had to remain consistent in her strong front. She covered herself for a moment.

"Zim!" Gaz stammered. She rushed towards him, picked him up, and pressed him against the wall with her rifle to his neck. "Why were you hiding yourself from me, and on top of that, did you think you were going to flip my skirt and not suffer the consequences? Tell me the answer, Zim!" She panted deep in her rage. Zim had trouble breathing, gasping here and there, his hands pressing against her rifle. Yet, they both paused and looked at each other for a moment as Gaz loosened her tight grip. They both became aware of how close they had gotten to each other.

Zim had to do something about this. He was not about to acknowledge this feeling of weakness.

"To quote those singing insects you humans listen to," Zim replied, as he broke free from her rifle hold, twisted one of her arms around, and pinned her on the ground, her face looking up at his, " 'You may be a lover, but you ain't no dancer.'" Zim unfortunately had very little idea as to what the phrase meant, causing it to sound completely stupid when it hit Gaz's ear.

"Zim," Gaz responded, rather commanding, "don't quote the White album unless you put it in proper context, alright? You're just making a fool of yourself." Under normal circumstances, Zim would have given a ranting response to being called a fool, but there was something on his mind at the moment. Actually, it was on both of their minds. They were yet again very close to one another. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment, seeing a kindred spirit in each other's soul. It was something they, and only they, could see, yet did not want to tell each other or themselves, for fear of losing their guard against their harsh worlds.

They got up off the ground and moved to the opposite walls, still looking at each other. There was another long silence, as each was trying to think of something to say, until, finally, the silence was blessedly broken.

"Listen, I…" Zim started.

"Zim, please," Gaz said, trying to mellow out and keep her blood pressure low, talking with one hand out, "there's no need to say anything. I think we got off on the wrong foot, okay?"

"Yes," Zim replied, calmer this time, picking up his mask but not putting it back on, "Yes, I agree." He wanted her to really see him. Whatever this feeling was whenever they looked into each other's eyes was, he did not want it to end. "Anyways, what is it that brings you here, in the midst of this strife?"

"Funny," Gaz said, "I would have asked you the same thing. But to answer your question, I came up here because my brother wants to blow up the ship, and I've been having dreams about it."

"You brought the Dib monkey?" Zim asked, rather agitatedly.

"He kind of brought me," Gaz responded, walking away from the wall for a moment towards Zim.

"So," Zim said, feeling awkward again, "Long time, no speak."

"Yeah, it has been," Gaz responded. There was another pause. "Listen, Zim, I'm sorry I ate your email. I was young and mentally deficient; I didn't really want to get close to anyone back then, because so many out there were so cold, hostile, and stupid. I just didn't want to be part of that."

"So you regret eating my email?" Zim said with a half smile.

"Yes, Zim," Gaz said, giving a minor laugh at her younger self, "I'm sorry I ate your email." She looked down at Zim's belt and saw that his annoying SIR lay silently attached. "So what happened to him? Shouldn't he be screaming and trying to attack my head with a herring?"

"Long story," Zim responded, obviously upset by the fact.

"Hey," Gaz said back, "if you want, I can fix him. I did do a little tech work during my law enforcement training."

"Do you think your puny human technology could help something as complex as an irken SIR bot?" Zim asked rather arrogantly.

"Do you want me to try or not?" Gaz asked sarcastically. They then looked at each other again and noticed how close they were to each other, as if some invisible force was pushing them next to each other. This time, they felt less awkward, for reasons they could not explain. Zim reached his hand out unconsciously and grabbed hers; she accepted it without really even noticing. What she was noticing, however, were his eyes again.

That's when her sixth sense kicked in again. She started feeling a collection of hostile presences moving down the corridor, causing her to look in that direction. Zim looked in the same direction and, putting his mask back on and switching to heat-and-motion, saw the numerous creatures crawling along the walls, floors, and ceiling. They detached hands, finally realizing what they had both done, and instantly got self conscious about it. That did not matter, however, as they had to prepare for battle.

One of the creatures leapt out of the blackness at Gaz, forcing her to fire a few rounds into its head, which spewed acid back onto the floor in front of her. Numerous others followed. Zim was quick to fire a shoulder cannon round that knocked each of them to the ground in a fried mass. Still, the aliens hurried in fresh troops like rats to fresh garbage.

Another that had been crawling along the floor seemed to maneuver past Gaz's machine gun rounds and leapt onto her, pinning her to the floor. No one pins my human in an angry rage but me, Zim thought and put his wrist claws through its back, then flinging it back into the rest of the hoard of creatures. Just then, Gaz's phone rang. In between firing, she answered it, thinking it might be her brother.

"Gaz!" shouted Tootie on the other end, "I have the best news to tell you! TIMMY PROPOSED!" Gaz wanted to hang up, but could not. She tried pressing the off button while firing another round into a creature on the wall, but was unfortunately met with no reaction. Her cell's off button was broken during her wrestle with Zim.

"That's great, Tootie," Gaz said, still firing into the swarm, "Listen now's not a good…"

"Oh, it's going to be so great!" Tootie squealed, not paying attention, "We're going to see the final show of Genesis P. Orridge reciting "A Hollow Cost"; even in his old age, he's still great at surrealism. Oh, and then we're going to see my sister in the morning; she's getting another shock treatment. Don't worry; Mark is with her right now."

"Tootie, please!" Gaz growled, "I have to go!" She then watched Zim throw several shiny metal blades into the creatures, dicing the closest one's to shreds while knocking the others over. Gaz then recovered her smirk, as this was something she could not help but enjoy seeing.

"Well, why didn't you say so?" Tootie said, "I'll tell you all about the plans later." With that, Tootie hung up to attack Timmy with kisses again. Gaz prayed they would not wreck the place by the time she got back. But that worry was brought by the wayside, as she hung up the phone, cocked the lower portion, and fired a grenade at another creature crawling along the ceiling.

They had moved back far enough to reach the door they had both previously left. Zim hit the switch, causing the door to open. He and Gaz both stepped through, firing all the way. Gaz hit the switch on the other side, closing them off from the creatures assault. They both looked at each other and smiled.

"So…job well done?" Zim asked, rhetorically. He held his hand out.

"Yeah," Gaz said, "we're awesome." She received his hand. They cupped each other's palms in a typical buddy-buddy manner. They held their hands for a moment before shifting them a gentler caress, as a prince would a princess. "So, uh, where to now?"

"To the med labs," Zim responded, "Soon, with your help, the Tallests will recognize the superiority of ZIM!" Gaz simply shook her head. They then ran off through the darkness to find this destination.

"Wait," Gaz said, "Can we go back to get my GS-4? I have a feeling something bad is about to happen."

"Certainly," Zim said, "It'll be an even payment for me having seen your magenta skulled girly underwear." She looked back at him with that same look that Dib got whenever he bothered her while she was drawing the little piggies. That look was worse than any slap a man could receive, sending a dark presence over Zim's soul. She then went back to normal, yet still holding his hand.

"I think your punishment has been taken care of," she said to a petrified Zim. He recovered, and they both smiled at each other again, nervously but in good humor. They then ran off to the hanger.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 – Severing Ties

"Oh, come on. How can you not like the White Stripes?" Dib asked Tak while walking through the darkness.

"I just don't," Tak answered, but with a smirk, delighted that she was having a conversation with her beloved Dib, even if it was about something stupid, "They don't seem to have the same energy that most of your rock music does. And I must say that Meg White's drumming is pretty sloppy."

"Okay, I'll admit that much," Dib said, eyes shifting, "But still, you could feel the emotional impact of their divorce in their first album. It had a tremendous power to it."

"Dib," She said back, raising one eye to him, "You can't make a good love song when the love is a false one."

"But that's not what it was about," Dib said, "Besides, I thought irkens weren't romantic. How do you know about love songs?" Dib was not rude about the question, but rather said it in a tone of curiosity. The question caught Tak off guard; she blushed and hoped that Dib could not see it, yet her disguise still read her bodily read-outs and let her cheeks go red.

"I've studied much of your culture," Tak answered.

"Any other reason?" Dib asked, curious about the blush he saw. It made him happy to see that he, the paranormal geek who barely makes ends meet, caused the woman he loved to blush, which, in turn, caused him to blush.

"No, no other reason," Tak responded. She said it rather quick and hurried, as if trying to hide something or fight something back.

"Are you sure? You blushed when I asked," Dib inquired.

"Don't make me slap you again, human," Tak said with a smirk, pointing at him. She then lowered her arm and looked at the floor awkwardly; Dib's eyes looked down as well. They then looked back up at one another and stared for what seemed like a split second and an eternity simultaneously, their eyes never leaving one another's, both of them blushing again. They then broke away and continued down the hallway.

Dammit, Tak thought to herself, I should have kissed him. I love him, and the poor sap wears his emotions on the outside and already shows his liking back. Why didn't you kiss him, Tak, you moron? You've seen enough humans do it in those crappy romance films.

Dammit, Dib though, I wish I could voluntarily kiss her without having my head handed to me.

Just then, I felt really light headed.

But seriously, just then, Tak's codec began buzzing in her ear, like a gnat that just will not leave one alone on those hot summer days, whenever the weather permits them to take what they like, yet still not having enough mind to hold any sense of direction, much like the callers sending her this noise on frequency 140.85.

"Well, hello, Tak," Tallest Black said in a muffled voice, his gas mask making him sound even more mechanical than his actual voice already had, "I gather things are not going as you would have thought." Tallest Black and Blue had been known to occasionally breathe toxic gases that would have killed any other irken. It was rumored that having been to as many planets as they had, their lungs had somehow mutated to either using it as a life sustaining fuel, while others thought it might be something else, a more selfish reason.

"Sirs, my entire team has been wiped out," Tak responded, "But I'm still going to get you those samples."

"Don't bother lying to us, Tak," Tallest Blue said, his voice also muffled by a gas mask, "We already know your alternate plans if things went wrong. You forget that we had mind scanners within both the office and the transport truck."

"Alright, I admit it; I hate you guys," Tak said, "So what of it? Don't tell me you put some sort of virus in my body that's going to kill me over time so you don't get your specimen?"

"No," Tallest Black said, "Nothing that elaborate. In fact, this whole thing was staged. We knew a team would have no chance at retrieving the specimen without getting killed, so we thought we would take the opportunity to test the bio-weapons' capabilities. We assembled an expendable team of all those who either failed in their training or failed as invaders; who better to lead them than one who dropped out in both areas?"

"We read your profile, Tak," Tallest Blue stated, "You're brash and rebellious, despite having an intelligent enough mind to think of complex invasion methods. You left your duties on planet Dirt in order to pursue an invasion you weren't even authorized for in the first place. Then, you assault another officer in your reassigned position out of a personal vendetta."

"That's not what it was about at all," Tak shouted.

"Wasn't it? It seemed otherwise," said Tallest Black.

"We also, however, noted your resourcefulness and perseverance," Tallest Blue proceeded to say, "Which is why we put in a little insurance policy."

"What about your precious specimen?" Tak asked, not fully comprehending. She then tossed another codec with the set frequency of 140.96 to Dib, who then hooked it up to his ear and tuned in to Tak's frequency to hear the conversation.

"This ship can crash into the planet you seem to love so much for all we care," Tallest Black said, "The only budget cuts we made were for building more ships and not because the Ripley monkey destroyed the Freyr. We'll build another ship and take more specimens from LV-426. But with the nuclear blast the Odin is going to make in San Jose is enough so that nothing can live in the desert that will formerly be known as the USA's west coast for the next 5,000 years." Dib felt nauseous at hearing this.

"But aren't you the least bit interested," Tallest Blue asked with an almost child-like laugh, "as to what we're doing to insure that you go down with the ship?"

"What the hell are you planning?" Tak growled.

Gaz and Zim continued to run towards the hanger through the darkness, still holding hands. Gaz was leading the way but she looked back at Zim for a moment and smiled, despite the fact that she knew something bad was about to happen. The problem was that this vision was unclear.

"Question," Gaz stated, "Why is it that some of these doors can open with the power out while others can't?"

"Security levels," Zim stated in a matter-of-fact tone, "Low level doors run on backup power."

"Well, duh," Gaz said, "But what sort of doors require higher security electricity?"

"I guess we'll find out as we go along," Zim said, his voice starting to get somewhat sheepish.

"You mean you don't know?" Gaz asked, irritated, "This is one of your armada's ships. How can you not know?"

"Hey, every ship is different," Zim fired back, "They never put me in charge of one of these, those pitiful fools who don't understand what ZIM could do with such immense fire power."

"Fair enough," Gaz said, "I guess I'll just make due with having to try each door with the limited battery I have."

"Huh?" Zim asked, confused.

"I can run bypasses on doors with my GS-4," Gaz said, as they walked through the door to the hanger.

"By the way," Zim began, "Why do they call them Game Slaves? That always confused me."

"They contain the spirits of past dead Slave Labor Graphics members who did not want to pass on," Gaz stated bluntly, "Finding employment for those who refuse to pass on, that's what Game Slaves are about. I thought it was just an urban legend until I discovered this stupid 'gift' of mine."

"Oh," Zim said in a bewildered understanding.

"Anyways," Gaz continued, "We've got to hurry; something really bad is about to happen." With that, she opened the cockpit of the Brynhild.

"See, we have a way of remote detonation on your Gudrun and Brynhild," said Tallest Blue.

"No," Tak gasped under her breath.

"And we shall demonstrate this fact," said Tallest Black, "within five seconds."

"Hey, I got it," Gaz said as she felt something flip over inside her chest and then fall out as it had in the jeep, writhing on the floor in a pool of blood before vanishing into her imaginative smoke, "Now lets get out of here."

"Took you long enough," Zim said, holding her up by her feet, but not without peeking upward as he had earlier, this time on purpose. She was making him wait with her weight, so why shouldn't he steal a peek? Gaz hopped down, grabbed Zim's arm, and began counting the seconds as they took off.

Five.

They ran up the ramp to the door.

Four.

They skidded into the hallway.

Three.

Gaz hit the panel on the blast door.

Two.

The door took its time shutting.

One.

"Hurry up!" Gaz shouted as the door finally closed.

In an instant, a good portion of the ship shook with a violent thrash as flames shot from behind the window of the blast door. Gaz and Zim both felt the shock and collapsed onto each other as the floor still shook.

Dib and Tak both suffered the same shock and struggled to regain their balance. There was a sinking feeling within both of their guts, not because of the shock but because of what that shock meant.

"Now, you have no chance of leaving alive," said Tallest Black, "especially with the escape pods on the other end having no power."

"Best of luck trying to get them back online while also trying to destroy the ship," Tallest Blue said in a mocking tone, still muffled by the gas mask. With that, they both signed out of their frequency.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 – Grasping Hope/Zim Stands Corrected

"Oh, Hell," Dib said shaking, "It's game over. What do we do now?" Tak looked down for a moment. She felt herself in the same emotional state as Dib right now but refused to show it. Regaining some sense of rationality, she looked up, and thought that if these were going to be her last moments, she was going to spend them well, one being to go down fighting and trying to survive, and the other to take an emotional risk standing in front of her. She dropped her smart gun, wrapped her arms around Dib's neck, and touched her lips with his, being sure that she was doing it right by putting her snaky tongue into his mouth. The warmth each of them felt could not be described in either of their languages. It was something that gave off a glowing sense from inside, something they felt, even if just for a moment, as Tak detached, that neither of them ever wanted to depart from.

Mimi watched the entire event. Some file pulled up in her memory for an instant. One of another robot that she just could not get out of her memory bank once he forced himself in. She felt the same feelings for him that her master felt for this human.

"We're going to continue our own mission," Tak said holding Dib's hands, Her voice filled with the excitement of her first kiss being even more wonderful than she imagined, "We're going to the electrical room, to Nar's office, since he's obviously the one who took this ship over, and to the generator to blow this place before it hits your city. I won't fail, nor will I let you die up here. Understand?" Dib felt reassured, as he knew Tak was right. He had to pull himself together; he was stronger than this. He was just as strong as she was and could easily prove it. Still, the thought of that along with the kiss he had received continued to stay in his mind. He forgot he had ever been with Gretchen, that this was possibly his first kiss he had ever received, and it was from an alien woman (one of which he loved) no less.

"Yes," Dib said, his voice wavering as his lips involuntarily smiled and his cheeks blushed, "I understand. We can do this." Tak picked up her smart gun.

"Good, now let's go," Tak said. The two then ran down the darkened corridor, Mimi leading the way, motion tracker ready.

Gaz and Zim recovered from their fall only to sit up and see just enough through the glass that the entire west hanger was being sucked into the blackness of space. Zim soon became aware that Gaz was actually sitting on his lap, yet did not want her to move. Gaz soon followed in this realization and, likewise, did not get up. Instead, she just looked at him, into his eyes, those red fiery eyes that reflected her own nature, destructive yet passionate.

She flipper her hair out of her face, leaned in and kissed him, the warmth of her lips sending shocks throughout Zim's body. All Zim could think was that he did not want her to stop; this was something he had never felt, this feeling within him that he could love this woman, one of who reflected his nature, likewise destructive yet passionate; his hypochondriac nature did not even pick up on the fact that she was mostly made from water, so he completely forgot that he ever could be burned by her touch. Gaz was affected in the same way; all memory of having been with Todd was removed from her mind upon feeling his lips connecting with hers.

Gir had his head tilted on his master's belt just enough to see this happen through the static of what was left of his vision. The sight of this fired what seemed like yet another glitch into his brain, but at the same time what he wanted to come up. It was the picture of a black cat crossing his path and telling him to follow, dance with her, and frolic in the tall grasses of the farm lands of some Midwestern US state.

Eventually, Gaz let up. There was a moment's pause before she spoke.

"Now wasn't I right?" Gaz asked rhetorically.

"Yes," Zim said, stunned from all that had happened, "Yes you were." Gaz got up, holding her rifle in one hand and helping Zim to his feet with her other.

"Come on," Gaz said, "You still want to go to the med labs, right?"

"Yes," Zim said, still wavering, "Let's go." The two ran off, their hands remaining together. Both were aware of it, and the warmth of their kiss never left, as it was in their hands, held together by a connection that was going to last, whether they knew it or not.

They each continued running down the dark hallway, Zim using heat-and-motion to detect anything out of the ordinary, and Gaz remaining calm, as she was not sensing anything. They eventually reached the white, adamantine door of the medical lab. Gaz broke open the control panel next to it, while Zim took the lookout, shoulder cannon ready.

"Are you sure your human technology can cooperate," Zim inquired, "with such a superior irken control panel?"

"Hey, if I can program an army of robots to guard my room," Gaz responded, "I can get past a stupid door." Gaz hooked several wires up to the exposed connectors and hit a few buttons on her GS-4. In no time at all, the doors swung open to reveal several patches of light, a few closed cryo-tubes, and some strewn about equipment. Gaz got up, turned to Zim, held her hand out like a game show hostess, and gave a smart-alecky smile. Zim gave that look of humility he generally gave the original Tallests whenever they chided him for screwing up or saying something wrong. They then both preceded in, eyes and weapons at the ready.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 – Intermission

There is a poorly drawn grassy cartoon plain. The sun is shining bright in the air and wears a smile on its face. A flock of crappy looking blue birds fly through the air. Over the closest green mound comes a pink rabbit with large black eyes and cute buck teeth; it is FILLER BUNNY. He looks at the audience, a smile on his face and a butterfly fluttering around his head.

Filler: "Hello, dear readers! It's me, Filler Bunny, the space consuming rabbit of happiness, here for your entertainment!"

Filler then puts on a straight face. He knows he must tell the audience what is going on.

Filler: "See, the writer of this fanfic is having some trouble thinking what direction the next chapter should go, not to mention his Internet access has recently been limited."

He then puts a smile back on his face, trying to make the best of his painful existence.

Filler: "So I'm here to give you all a show to pass the time, despite the torturous pain Slave Labor Graphics has put me through! Yippee!"

Filler begins dancing around rather merrily, doing little backflips here and there, all the while eating an ice cream cone, playing Dance Dance Revolution, and answering the writer's lengthy messages all in a matter of seconds, proving his amusingness to everyone. A bear trap then falls out of the sky and lands on the grass. A few more dance steps and Filler finds his foot lodged between its teeth as it snaps around his leg.

Filler: "AAGH! Oh Lord, this hurts! Please, just let me die!"

He falls to the ground in agony. Just then, CROCKER appears over the hill, looking down at Filler.

Crocker: "A random bear trap falling from the sky? This has to be the work of FAIRY GODPARENTS!!!"

Filler: "Hey, what, ugh, are you, gah, doing here? This panel is reserved for, uhg, Bad Art Collection characters only."

Crocker: "Well, I'm not really sure. All I can think is that it's the work of…FAIRIES!!!"

Filler: "Well, ugh, I guess you can stay; the weird shaped head and figure and the ear on the neck I guess qualifies you."

Crocker: "Hey, what are you getting at?"

Filler (shifting tone): Er, nothing nothing. Didn't you die of a heart attack after Vicky tried to kill you, landing her in Arkham Asylum?"

Crocker: "Well I do remember that; at least she didn't get the satisfaction. The next thing I know, I end up in this poorly drawn elace. At first I thought this might be Hell or the Underworld or at the very least Nephelheim. But really, I think it has something to do with…FAIRY GODPARENTS!!!"

With the last spasm, Crocker ends up face down in the grass. Coming over the hill is a stick figure with one very large hair on his head, this being none other than HAPPY NOODLE BOY.

Happy Noodle Boy: "Shouter of random stupidity! You have desecrated the very essence of my plastic wrap! Can't you see the beautiful river of laxative!?"

Filler: "Umm, I don't believe we've met. Who might you be?"

Happy Noodle Boy: "I am the butterer of all things unseen! The squeezer of chickens! I've seen the horrors of Sinbad's acting ability and lived! And I think my friendly nature qualifies me for the job of milking the goat!"

Crocker stands up and growls at this strange figure.

Crocker: "You, my good fellow, make no sense. I have no choice but to give you…AN F!!!"

Crocker then flings a piece of paper with a giant red F on it at Happy Noodle Boy, who then picks it up and begins licking it before stuffing it in his mouth and eating it. Out of nowhere, an H bomb falls out of the sky, causing Filler Bunny and Crocker to explode and regenerate in other parts of this poorly drawn landscape, showing that they will never die on this plane. Just then, one of the xenomorphic life forms bursts from both of their chests, causing them to fall over in pain but still not die. Happy Noodle Boy does not explode from the H bomb, yet flies in a smoking trail to another remote portion of the land. He lands face down in the dirt.

Happy Noodle Boy: "Dirt, the other white meat…"


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 – What are they thinking?

Steve scurried fast. Queen was angry. Intruders on ship.

Steve was unhappy. Queen was irritated. Ordered Steve around.

Steve attack intruders. Bring to Queen. Eat or impregnate.

Steve sense intruders. Three are there. Human, irken, synthetic.

Steve continued on. Intruders getting closer. Steve lay still.

"We're getting closer," Tak said, waving the smart gun, looking for an attacker, a shoulder lamp, of which she had previously forgot she had in her backpack, now attached to her shoulder from a metal rod coming out of the top of the pack.

"I can override the door locks by running an electrical bypass," Dib said, aiming the pulse rifle, shaking it with a level of discomfort. He had not held a gun in his hands for a long time and felt guilty for doing so, as he learned the dangers of them from numerous people in his field of study.

"No need," Tak said, finally shining a lamp on the door to the electrical room. She then removed a PDA from her pack, attached to a cord which connected to what looked like a credit or identification card. "This should be a low-level security door, so it won't be a problem for me." She then swiped the card in the slot, causing its screen to light up along with the PDA's. The buttons under her finger presses reacted likewise, yet in short blips. Tak stopped pressing buttons for a moment, and all Dib could hear in the silent ship were the blips of Mimi's motion tracker and the whirring of Tak's PDA.

"Come on," Tak said, "Burn, baby, burn." With that, there was a loud tick noise, and Tak pressed the enter button on her machine. The door began to open slowly. "See, Dib, I can do that too with less mess." She could have done this with the hanger door, but it was just too much fun for her to give orders.

Just then, Mimi's motion tracker began picking up movement.

"Tak," Dib said, "We've got company."

"I don't see anything," Tak said, "But they may be in the air shafts. Stay frosty and watch the walls." Dib did as he was told, the gun still shaky in his hands. The three of them waited as the door took its time opening. He then felt something slimy fall from the ceiling and hit the shoulder of his jacket. He looked up to see Steve's eyeless face looking down at him, mouth and second mouth opening.

"Dib, look out," Tak shouted. Dib dove to the side, and Tak began firing at Steve, leaving him in pieces on the floor. No sooner had she done that when the team noticed numerous other Steves climbing out of the air ducts on the walls.

"They're coming out of the damn walls," Dib said, still trying to aim his rifle.

"It's them or you, Dib," Tak said, "Defend yourself."

"Come on, Dib," Dib said to himself, "This is just like when you fought that shoggoth. You can do this." One of the aliens (this being Steve 43) scurried along the wall close enough to swipe its tail at him. Dib screamed as the point came towards his face. He shut his eyes and pulled the trigger, causing a continual loud noise until he released it. He opened his eyes to see the beast in an acidy mess on the floor.

"That's it, Dib," Tak said, "Now, as you humans say, let's rock!"

"Right," Dib said and began firing at will, the alien monsters dropping like flies before the rest hurried in reinforcement. The door was still not quite fully open yet; it must have been the low power.

Mimi put her motion tracker away and replaced it with a mini-laser, cutting the aliens in half as a red and purple light shot from it.

The door was finally open. Dib got up off the floor and ran backwards inside, firing all the way. Tak followed close behind, likewise firing wildly, yet making sure not to hit the following Mimi. The room was completely dark, this forcing Tak to retrieve her shoulder lamp yet again. She flashed it right next to the door, revealing a red button, of which she pressed, instantly shutting the door. This came, needless to say, a frustration to the party.

This, however, did not stop the army of xenomorphs (Steve 85 leading the way) from attempting to destroy the door. Each pound they made put another dint into the door. Tak knew it was only a matter of time before it broke completely in, trapping her, Dib, and Mimi.

Dib set to work to find the switch to the main power, using a flashlight he retrieved from his backpack.

"Dib, honey, hurry up," Tak pleaded.

"I'm trying," Dib responded, getting frustrated that he could not find with the little light he had. There were green lights, red and purple buttons, and several black switches, none of whose characters he recognized. He had been slacking on his study of irken writing.

"Come on, Dib," Tak said, irritated and anxious. The creatures were already making a hole in the wall, their black, monstrous visages showing through, hissing loudly.

Suddenly, Dib noticed in big bold English letters the words "ON" and "OFF" written above a large switch. Dib quickly pulled it, but not without using some muscular energy, causing the lights to come back on, revealing the team in a purple and red room.

"When am I ever going to notice these obvious signs?" Dib asked himself, catching a brief memory of the sign at the beginning of his day, still wondering what it exactly meant.

"Dib you did it," Tak said, joyfully, "Now Father should be back online." At that point, she stopped worrying about the creatures coming through the broken door, as they were scampering into the room in fresh troops. Just then, a very unenthusiastic voice sounded over the intercom, of which resembled a deeper version of an artist from Dib's down whose name was not really important to remember at the time.

"Alien life forms detected in electrical generator room," Father said, "I guess I'll have to get rid of them." As he said that, two gatling guns came out of the ceiling and mowed down the intruding creatures like a much-needed lawn trimming, only to return to the ceiling after the floor was drenched in acid (still not causing it to fall apart; irken ships were slightly more durable to chemicals than human ships).

"Well," Dib said nonchalantly, "I guess that problem is solved. But why didn't it shoot me?"

"It's locked onto their genetic pattern," Tak said, looking over at him, "But the gun turrets are only posted at doors and in high security areas. Father?"

"What?" Father's irritated lethargic voice groaned.

"I need you to do two things: the first is to download the schematics of the ship into my SIR unit's memory, and the second is to unlock the door to the captain's chamber."

"Oh, alright," Father said. Mimi then put a patch cord into the control panel on the door. In no time, the entire map of the ship was downloaded into her brain, along with an image from one of the security cameras which she chose to dwell on, feeling both joy and sorrow in that her beloved Gir was aboard yet was suffering malfunctions. Mimi did not show this, but she still retained her feelings and her soul of silicon.

"Thank you," Tak said to the ship.

"No, please," Father said in another agitated tone, "don't mention it, ever."

"Ready to go?" Tak said to Dib. She began to think to herself, wondering what he really thought of her. Was she just kidding herself that this human who foiled her plans of conquering Earth ever love her?

"Yeah, absolutely," Dib responded. He began to think to himself, wondering if she loved him too. Most of the women throughout his life had never looked at him very highly, so why would an irken woman act so differently? Could she be different? Could this be love?

They left the room and proceeded down the now well lit hall in silence, small blue lights running along the floor, Resisty graffiti written across the red walls.

They finally reached the captains room, the door being unlocked. It was a larger chamber than expected, with one very large black desk in the middle of the room, a green blood soaked chair across from it. Tak quickly ran over to the desk and began shuffling through papers. Dib walked over next to her and began to help in the search. Finally, Tak found it next to a Crazy Taco coupon sheet.

"Found it," Tak said, holding the key up, "Okay, ready to do this?"

"Yeah," Dib responded with enthusiasm before blushing at the thought of what he was about to say. "Tak…I missed you." This caught Tak off guard causing her to blush and turn her head down, yet still looking at him.

"Why?" Tak asked sheepishly after a moment's pause, "I tried to destroy your planet. And I know how devoted you are to that clump of space dirt. Why would you ever miss me?"

"Well," Dib said, "I miss our talks, the fun times we had together, and watching you beat up Zim. You're one of the only people in skool who actually listened to me, who took me seriously."

"Dib," Tak said, "Anyone would have done that. You're an interesting person, Dib; your quirks make you that way." This caught Dib off guard.

"Actually," Dib said, "You might be surprised at how many humans are uninterested in my field and who treat me like I'm nuts."

"Those people weren't worth your time," Tak said, "None of them seemed to be very deep thinkers. My mind eraser worked so easily on them because they all had underdeveloped brains. You were different, and that's why I enjoyed talking to you. You had something in you that was different than the rest of the pathetic Earth monkeys. It was fun being able to share time with you, despite my constant focus on my mission." This was not something Dib heard very often, and she now knew it. She blushed again.

"I'm glad you think so at least," Dib said with a smile, noting how ironic it was that he could relate best with one of the very invaders he came to hate when fighting Zim, "Shall we then finish this horrible nightmare? But first thing's first; we need to find out where my sister is."

"Do we need to worry about Zim?" Tak asked.

"Hmm…nah," Dib responded, worried that his sister might have run into him, unleashing something he noticed in her for some time, an attraction towards his enemy.

Tak and Dib both walked in the direction of the reactor core, guns at their sides, one hand each free. They began walking closer together until finally their hands brushed each others. Without getting embarrassed about it, they did not stop, only to gently grasp the others. They walked in silence, not knowing what fate lay before them, but knowing they were going to face it together.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 – A Brief Moment Back to the Bad Art Hell/Billy vs. Nyrlathotep

Filler Bunny lays exhausted with pain on Crocker's newly restored, albeit pained, chest. They're both still recovering from the explosion and xenomorphic chest-buster attack, yet still not dying.

Filler Bunny: Oh…this hurts so badly. I wish they would finally kill me and let me sleep away the misery forever.

Crocker: They won'tfairies. At least we know it'll never get any worse than this. The only thing I can think of that whatever's controlling this plane has not done is destroy our minds with stupidity.

Upon saying that, Crocker looks over and notices a blue glowing portal forming in mid-air next to him. Out of it come SPONGEBOB, PATRICK, and BILLY (who has a bag of dice in one hand and the Necronomicon in the other).

SpongeBob: Patrick, how could you we have gotten lost?

Patrick: I don't know, SpongeBob. It could have been that bad crabby patty I ate that's causing us to see this.

Billy: Noooooooo…I just used real magical artifacts instead of the props while playing my game with Irwin and Mandark and pulled you through the ether past the view of Yog-Sothoth into this awful place…ISN'T THIS COOL AND FUN!? WAIT UNTIL I TELL MY WIFE! She's out dancing right now…BUT SHE AND GRIM WILL LOVE IT!!

SpongeBob: Yeah, we can make our new home here!

Patrick: New place! New place!

Filler Bunny and Crocker stand to their feet and stare at the unspeakably horrific annoyance.

Filler Bunny: Why must we endure this...Why must we suffer?

Crocker: Why, indeedfairies. My wife would never have wanted to live here. She has to deal with all the bad art on her school's hallwaysfairies.

The world begins to blur and turn red. It seems as if the Bad Art realm had become some fever dream of some demented artist. The once smiling sun began to dim in a red burning light at the very sight of the scorched earth, dying instantly, only to become a black hole, absorbing the landscape and the characters into the fading light. In the pitched darkness, all that can be seen before them are the unspeakable horrors of the unknown, where Nyrlathotep, the Crawling Chaos, stands as messenger and the boundless daemon sultan Azathoth broods in dark infinity. But out of the darkness comes a bright light; within it is WANDA, in a long flowing black dress, holding her wand while numerous ravens fly around her.

Wanda: These mortals are not yours. You may have taken Vicky's mind, but you will never take their lives.

She waves her wand, and all are removed from the yawning blackness beyond. Crocker is sent back to Principal Waxelplex's house, who stares in awe and disbelief before giving in and holding him tightly. Filler Bunny is sent back to the Z-tank, relieving him of his agony at least for the moment. SpongeBob and Patrick are sent back to the ocean. Billy, however, is sent to the icy city of Kadath, unfortunately also ruled by Nyrlathotep, who then appears before him as a dark pharaoh with a black void for a face.

Nyrlathotep: Insolent fool. You have incurred my wrath for speaking the names of the Great Old Ones. Now, you shall die!

Billy drops the Necronomicon and out of the air grabs a newly formed magic scythe. He grips it tightly ready to defend himself.

Billy: Bring it on…cuppy cake.

Nyrlathotep generates a sword of darkness out of his hand and rushes at Billy. Billy parries the slash and swipes at him, barely missing as the dark pharaoh dodges. Nyrlathotep flips backwards, landing on one knee, and shoots a dark bolt through the ground, sending a shockwave towards Billy. Billy dodges and has just enough time to race forward and slash the pharaoh across the chest. Nyrlathotep staggers back slightly, and looks at him with agitation.

Nyrlathotep: You fool! Do you not know that I AM NYRLATHOTEP, THE CRAWLING CHAOS!!!

The dark pharaoh then transforms into an immense figure, standing 100 feet tall, with three legs, two clawed arms with three claws, and not a head but rather a gigantic twitching tentacle in its place.

Nyrlathotep: NOW, COWER BEFORE ME!!!

Billy: AAGGHH!!! Hey, wait a minute, I have the scythe; I could've left at any time. But that was cool though, when you did that whole earthquake thing and the sword.

Billy then swipes the air, generating a green portal, and steps out of Kadath. He then falls from the ceiling of club DesTrukt on top of Mandy.

Mandy: Ugh, Billy, what are you doing here? I thought you were playing a game with Irwin and Mandark.

Billy: But, Mandy, I was in an alternate dimension and there was this dark guy and a talking sponge.

Mandy: Right…

Olga: I thought it was just us…but what the hell? Can't your husband party with us, especially since Gaz is gone now?

Billy: Oh, can I Mandy? Can I, can I, can I?

Mandy: Well…alright. As long as you get off of me before I bust your enormous nose.

They stand up and begin to dance in the bizarre pattern called for by TKK's "Hour of Zero". Olga joins them in the robotic rhythm. They dance the night away, together in their incongruence of character, forgetting the fear and danger that waited beyond the astral planes.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14 – Specimens or Love

"Crap," Gaz said, trying to use her small portable flashlight keychain to see the wiring on the computer, "If I had more light, maybe I could see what I'm doing."

"Sorry I can't help you," Zim said.

"Eh, it's okay," Gaz said, "There's no guarantee I could do this anyway. Jack is a lot better at this than I am."

"Jack?" Zim asked.

"Jack Splicer," Gaz said, "He taught me a few tech skills. He and Kimiko actually bought a stuffed doll of me at Hot Topic after the world found out about my psychic talents and made me a commercial icon." She looked down for a second, "Thanks, dad. What kind of bothered me though was the whole love triangle thing with Kimiko being torn between him and Rai. I still think he should be with Catnappe."

"That can't be as annoying as Keef sending you a ton of emails," Zim said, "But, yes, I remember the Jack monkey quite well; he helped fix my base after Tak disabled my base. Of course, he didn't stick around for when the Ham Demon showed up."

"Yeah," Gaz said, still trying to figure out which wire was which, "Poor guy has trouble sometimes with timing. But yeah, you're right…that is a lot worse. Of course, I didn't mind Keef as much as I did Iggins. You remember him, right?"

"Yes," Zim said, "Let us forget that horrible worm, shall we?" Zim changed the subject. "Ugh, I still can't believe I let Tak see me here. Oh, I hate that pretentious woman."

"Yeah, well, my brother loves her," Gaz said, getting frustrated with the wires, but then paused for a minute, "Just as I…" She paused again. She nearly said something she was not ready to, or thought she would ever be.

"As you what?" Zim asked.

"Nothing," Gaz said, looking up at him, only to blush and turn back to her wires, "You know, this reminds me of the time you and I fought that Neth guy."

"The Angel Maker fool?" Zim asked. "Yes, that ignorant hack couldn't take over the world if he tried. He could never master the power Zim wields."

"Well," Gaz said, "he did put us through Hell in a hand basket. And I can't say I've forgiven him for touching me. If he was here right now I'd…" Just then the power to the computer Gaz was in front of turned back on, as did the lights. This, however, still defeated Gaz's purpose with the wires. She stood up and began looking through the files on the computer while Zim stood guard and scanned the room.

"My Lord," Gaz said, "The Resisty and the Irken Armada were infecting their own in order to breed more of these things. They've been breeding ever since after the containment fell." Zim was listening while looking around the room when he saw the two specimens in two long glass tubes, both looking like giant eyeless spiders with elongated tails, with red lights and a small beeping noise coming from atop each tube.

"Specimen tank malfunction," the voice of Father blared from the intercom, "Personnel better do something about it, because I'm sure as Hell not able to." After saying that, the glass on the tubes shattered into pieces, and out flew the creatures, one leaping at Zim, the other at Gaz. Zim fired his shoulder cannon at the one coming at his face, blowing it to pieces, thinking only about his own self preservation and not on his "mission". The other wrapped its tail around Gaz's neck as she held its body away from her face.

Zim turned to her and stared at what he had come for, the life form the Tallests wanted.

"Zim, please," Gaz gasped out, "Get this damn thing off my neck. Zim, help me." At that moment, Zim was faced with a decision. To save the woman he loved and kill the creature, or continue on his selfish ambitions and let it infect her. He paused in his thoughts and began to realize just how much the Tallests had mistreated him over the years. No leader had ever given him respect, no matter what he did. Even if he did let it infect her, what difference would it make? Besides, he loved her; this thing he felt inside of him told him it was right to save her, this unknown feeling of dizziness and nervousness.

In an instant, Zim shot his claws out of his wrist gauntlet and lunged for the beast, skewering it like a shish-ca-bob and flung it against the wall. Gaz staggered to her feet, coughing and grabbing her throat.

"Dammit, Zim," Gaz said, still coughing, "What was the wait? You were thinking of letting it get me, weren't you?"

"No," Zim said.

"Yes, you were," Gaz said, "Don't lie to me, man; I'm frigging clairvoyant."

"No," Zim said, "I merely came to the realization of something."

"What would that be?" Gaz said sarcastically, recovering her voice. Zim took off his mask and looked her in the eye, a dead serious look on his face.

"That Zim shall take orders no longer from leaders who grant him nothing. I'm a better invader than they would think or give me credit for. In fact, I think I could be a better leader than they would ever be. Once this is over, the mighty ZIM shall start his own empire of doom!" Gaz looked at Zim in amazement of his change in character; it seemed as if, finally, Zim was thinking for himself. This gave her a slight smile. "Gaz will you join me? Together, we may create our own armada." And the words came pouring out of Gaz's mouth.

"Yes," she said, dumbfounded, "we can. I love you, Zim." She paused another moment. "And I can't believe I just said that, but I did. And if you tell anyone, I'm going to take those antennae of yours and…" Her words were stopped with a kiss from Zim as he wrapped her in his arms. The suddenness of it caught her off guard for a moment, but she soon accepted it, closed her eyes, and wrapped her arms around him. The feeling of passion and fire they felt near the hanger had not faded, nor had this great feeling changed. They did not want it to end, but knew they had to move on; Zim detached his lips from hers.

"Now, let us continue on in slaying these filthy bug beasts," Zim said with a hiss that delighted Gaz's ears.

"Yes," Gaz agreed, "Let us proceed." They left the medical lab, holding hands as they walked down the metal corridor, their anger and fury stifled in a mutual passion for one another. They proceeded on to the core, where apparently the queen was being held, according to the records Gaz had pulled off the computer.

Gir had watched the two of them the entire time. His brain finally recognized the image of who the black cat was; it was none other than Mimi, Tak's SIR unit. Ever since he had been inside her mind, he had continually felt a connection from her, as if a part of her had not left him. Brushing aside the tacos, weenies, monkeys, and pigs, he loved her. He wanted to find her again, to be with her again, and to dance with her in that field his wild silicon brain dreamed up.

Little did they know that Steve 56 was following close behind the party.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15 – Reunion at the Gates of Hell.

"Gaz, are you there?" Dib said into the receiver of the phone, he and Tak having stopped at a cross point in the hallway, Tak reloading her smart gun, "I'm sorry I ran off and left you earlier. I just panicked. I'm fine now and found Tak. Are you alright?" Tak looked up from her reloading and glared at Dib, reminded of the reason for the lonely nature of their meeting. She slapped him on the leg, and Dib looked down to face her, seeing this angered gaze. Nothing more needed to be said about Tak's feelings towards Dib's actions of abandoning his sister out of craven panic.

"Dib, when I find you, I'm going to tear you to shit," Gaz said into the receiver, she and Zim also being at a cross point in the hallway, Zim taking point to watch for any incoming hoards, "And if you pull any stupid crap like that again, your punishment is going to be much worse than any nightmare world I have mentioned in the past." Just then, Gaz's extra sensory perception forced her to look back the way she came, into the black, limitless gulf of the unknown, and sensed the hideous abominations hurrying in fresh troops.

"I'm sorry for running off," Dib's voice sounded over the speaker, "but now is not a time to argue. Tak and I can meet you between halls D-5 and D-6." Tak stood up from reloading her weapon and noticed something against one of the walls. Lo and behold, it was a flamethrower. She picked it up, looked it over, and tossed it to Dib, who had to react fast by putting the phone on his shoulder and juggling the newly acquired weapon around in his hands before getting a firm grip on it.

"Tape that to your pulse rifle," Tak said, "It'll make a perfect substitute when you run out of ammunition. Until that time, I'll provide you with what I can." She then tossed him a roll of electrical tape out of her pack, which Dib caught with ease this time. Dib knelt down and began taping the weapons, which were conveniently of similar size.

"Dib, I have to go," Gaz said, motioning her arm to Zim to look down the corridor she was staring into, "These monsters are bugging me and Zim."

It must be said that since most of the Steve warriors hatched from vortians, they acquired small antenna on their heads. Some of the ones that headed towards Gaz and Zim, however, lacked them and instead had arched backs, elongated front teeth, and longer claws, resembling the Blorchian rat people. More runner scouts than warriors, these just so happened to all share the same name of Ben.

"Gaz, you're in danger," Dib said with hurried concern, "Run! And what are you doing with Zim? He's bad news, Gaz; he tried to destroy Earth!" Dib held his new combo weapon in one hand while holding the phone in the other. Tak readied her weapon as well; she just had an intuitive feeling something bad was about to happen. She then knew she was becoming more like the Earth women, feeling and intuitive.

"I heard that, spoody Earth monkey!" Zim shouted, wondering where the word 'spoody' came from. He then began to focus on the incoming hoard of monsters as Gaz was. She hung up the phone, put it in one of the pockets in one of the pleats in her skirt, and readied the pulse rifle. She and Zim began running, firing over their shoulders all the way. The Bens caught up to Zim and swiped at his mask, knocking it off. In retaliation, he extended his claws and returned the favor of taking off the creature's face. He wanted to go back for his mask, but the hoard was gaining too fast; he and Gaz had to keep running. Despite the gun fire and clicking of the monsters' claws, the heavy sound of their boots clanking against metal echoed down the hall. They eventually came to another blast door.

Dib and Tak stood ready at the door, anticipating the horror that waited behind the D-5 doorway. They reached out, looked at each other with concern, and grabbed hands for a moment before going back to focusing on aiming at the door. Mimi readied her weapons as well. Much to their surprise, it opened, revealing Zim and Gaz.

"Gaz," Dib said, lowering his weapon, "Thank God you made it." He seemed to fail to notice the hoard crawling along the corridor walls and ceiling behind her and Zim. Gaz walked over and delivered a punch straight into Dib's gut, causing him to strain for a moment.

"That's for leaving me," Gaz said with a hiss, "This pain will only be a fraction of what you'll feel the next time." Tak was divided in her feelings; one part of her was glad to see that this sister deserter was getting what he deserved, while the other part was empathetic towards her love's pain. Tak walked over, patted him on the back, and kissed his cheek.

"Just make sure it doesn't happen again, honey," Tak said, "Otherwise, next time, I'm joining her." She looked over at Gaz and smiled, who returned a smile; the two dark peas finally back in their pod.

Mimi

"I hate to interrupt, but must you ignore Zim's plight?" Zim asked rhetorically, continually hitting the blast door panel while firing his shoulder cannon at any creature that made it through the door. When it finally started to close, Zim moved back, and the team began firing at anything that came through while moving back, leaving acidic spatters with each dead Steve and Ben. When they started coming out of the floors and ceiling, the team began running down the most immediate hallway towards the elevator that would lead them to the core room, the wind huffing its way out of each of their lungs as they fired over their shoulders. Mimi was in her cat form in order to gain extra speed. All that was in her brain was seeing the lifeless body of her love on Zim's belt.

Dib looked over at Zim and gave a hostile glare, Zim returning one. Zim thought for a moment, namely how much he loved his sister. Maybe it was time to bury the hatchet.

"Zim," Dib said in his running, "Somehow I can't shake the feeling that you're responsible for this mess."

"I had nothing to do with this sloppy operation, filth pig," Zim said, hurling several metal blades behind him into the heads of the nearest aliens. "I care not for your filthy dirt ball any longer. I am tired of dealing with the Tallests; Zim is his own irken now. So, Dib monkey, I'm going to the bigger individual between us and end my conflicts with you."

"So, you're not after Earth anymore?" Dib said in disbelief, cocking the grenade launcher on his rifle and firing it into the hoard, causing alien limbs to fly this way and that.

"No, foolish Earth boy; not that filthy space rock."

"How can I be sure you're not lying?" Dib asked.

"Because I can now be free to take over much better planets than that piece of filth planet of yours."

"While your attitude still needs work," Dib said, still firing his machine gun, "maybe we can become allies, keyword being maybe. A fun ride on pink bunnies, a collective dream about being in a band (which I still question whether it really happened or not), and fighting a bologna virus or zombies still won't make me totally trust you." The elevator was open at the end of the hallway, giving a white glow into a dark, red hallway. Dib and Zim reached the elevator before Tak and Gaz.

Despite all the noise, Dib and Zim could still hear the cackling sound of Tak's laugh and Gaz's chuckle as they fired wildly into the hoard. The two watched their valkyries in a stupefied stare. Gaz then cocked the grenade launcher and fired it at the beasts. But before the grenade could hit its target, one of Tak's smart gun rounds collided with it, causing it to explode, the force of the blast sending both Gaz and Tak flying into the elevator, thus, running into and knocking over Dib and Zim.

When Dib opened his eyes, he was on the floor, facing the flipped up skirt of Tak, who quickly blushed and covered it with her hands, yet not minding as much this time, seeing as it was the one she loved. Zim opened his eyes yet could not breathe, as his face was buried in Gaz's chest. Gaz quickly got up from Zim, feeling awkward and ready to slap him, but then she realized it was not his fault, so she helped him to his feet and kissed him.

Dib saw this Tak was helping him stand. His eyes widened to saucer level.

The elevator doors closed.

Dib pressed the elevator button to the core room, eyes not leaving Zim and Gaz.

Tak was trying to get his attention, waving her hand in front of her face and kissing his lips.

Zim and Gaz saw this. It made sense to Zim that the two would be together, especially due to the lack of jelly between them. Gaz just smiled, glad to see her annoying brother finally with someone she could stand and get along with. Wait until I introduce her to Mandy and Olga, Gaz thought.

The elevator doors swung open. Another red hallway faced the team as they exited. At the end of the hallway was the blast door to the core room. They stared at the gates of Hell with a feeling of dread, yet ready for the final fight. Little did they know that a certain little robot was hiding something within his head.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16 – Advice from the Future/The Hive

The group moved down the hallway slowly, with the unknown horror waiting behind the door at the end. Their minds, however, seemed to be detached from their situation, as they had been from the beginning. Dib was thinking about how his sister was with his worst enemy. Tak was wondering why Dib made such a big deal about it; she did not like Zim any better than he did, but that was her choice to make. Gaz was thinking about getting out of here so she could relax in Zim's arms and play her new GS-4, not worrying about these stupid beasts anymore. Zim was wondering why ever thought about making peace with the Dib monkey at all; just because he loved his sister did not mean he had to make peace with Dib.

Mimi thought about how to fix Gir. Gir's thoughts turned to dancing bears.

None were focused on what lay behind the door.

As the group neared the door, Tak broke away from the group and swiped the keycard through the slot. The red door made a warm beep and opened from the middle to the sides slowly, making harsh grating sounds as pieces of black resin fell from the sides to the floor. What lay beyond was nearly pitch black, save for the shapes of even more black resin which covered the walls. The team moved in slowly, watching the walls.

"It's hot as Hell in here," Gaz said.

"Yeah," Zim said, "But at least it's dry."

They continued to move down the dark pathway, a light breeze moving through the corridor, mostly from the light steam from unseen cracked pipes. The air was stiflingly hot, as Gaz had pointed out. Still, they moved onward, ready for whatever may come.

Just then, Tak's codec began to ring, the frequency being from 140.48. She answered it. Dib used his to tune in to the same frequency to hear the conversation.

"Hello?" Tak said, "Who is this?"

"Is this Tak, formerly of the Irken Armada?" a woman's voice answered.

"Yes," Tak said, "Who is this?" She stopped the group for a moment.

"Lieutenant Ellen Ripley."

"The same that destroyed the Freyr?"

"The same," she answered, "I've traveled back in time and collected my own team to stop something that was going to happen in the past that I was meant to prevent. Your government were going to send the xenomorph throughout the galaxy, including my planet. Hicks, Bishop, and Call have aided me in stopping that."

"Why are you telling me this?" Tak asked, raising an eyebrow.

"From what I understand from listening to the irken call interceptions," Ripley said, "your team is a novice one in fighting these things. If you haven't already guessed, they're storing the queen in the core room."

"Yes," Tak said, "In fact, we're there now." She looked around at this horrid place and began to notice something on the walls. In between the resin was the hanging body of a vort with a hole in his chest, an open egg in front of him. Tak shuttered when she noticed more.

Gaz had already picked up a sense of death throughout the area, along with the spectral presences. She wanted to keep it hidden, as she did not feel it was her place to say anything. She was grateful that her breath did not show when ghosts were near like her friend Mr. Fenton's did.

"I wanted to let you know," Ripley said, "that it is possible to bend the queen to your will."

"How might that be?" Tak asked.

"Threaten to put the torch to the eggs," Ripley responded, "these beasts are afraid of fire, and the queen is very protective of her children. You can get through their ranks if you can guard the eggs with just a flame unit."

"That shouldn't be a problem," Dib interjected, "We just found a flame unit. I can hold one of the eggs hostage while Tak sets the core itself for self destruct."

"Is this the legendary Dib Membrane I hear?" Ripley asked.

"None other," Dib responded "But did you say 'legendary'?"

"Yes," Riply replied, "In the future, you hold a high reputation as an innovator of para-science."

"Yes!" exclaimed Dib, "I just knew I was meant for this field."

"I wanted to let you all know this," Ripley said, "because your success will determine what's going to happen to Earth. Ripley out." With that, her voice was gone.

"Alright, lets keep moving," Tak said.

"And who elected you as leader?" Zim asked sarcastically, "I'll say when we are to move."

"Fine, Zim," Tak said, knowing it was useless to argue with anyone whose mind reverted to childhood, "Be our guest, as you so clearly speak for all of us."

"I'm glad you finally acknowledge my superiority, Tak," Zim said, not picking up on the bitter sarcasm. Dib and Gaz just rolled their eyes. "Alright then; let us proceed."

The group proceeded to follow their leader, whose mind was without a clue as to what he was getting them into.

Gaz began to get an odd feeling yet again; this was not just the ghosts of the dead vorts this time. Mimi picked it up on her motion tracker as well. Something was coming from all around them.

"Look out!" Tak yelled at Dib as one of the beasts appeared from behind him. This time, he did not hesitate in his reaction; he spun around and pulled the trigger on the flamethrower, turning the creature into a well done piece of smoldering meat and chemicals. More came from the walls behind Gaz, who quickly spun around and fired her rifle straight into the closest ones, tearing them to shreds.

"Run!" Tak shouted.

"I give the orders," Zim reminded her, "and I say RUN!" He fired one shoulder cannon blast into a creature that was nearly about to bite Gaz with its second tongue. She noticed this, said a silent thank you, and began to run with him and the group towards the next area.

Dib was the first to notice it. At his feet were tons of the leathery eggs they had seen earlier. The others were quick to notice it and stopped abruptly. They were now in the nest. They each looked up to see an enormous worm-like structure attached to the resin. At the end was the very thing they had been dreading, Gwen, the queen of the xenomorph. There she sat, looming over them like an ominous tempest coming in to destroy an unsuspecting innocent land. Various worker aliens (whose names were all Bob) were placing her eggs around the room.

Gwen hissed with a burning fury in her voice, letting the group know who she was.

Dib then quickly remembered what Ripley had said. He fired the flamethrower into the air, causing the queen to wail in shock. He then aimed this at what she regarded most important in her senseless, cycling existence, her eggs. An unspoken peace was made. She was going to let his team pass through safely (while secretly keeping with the plan of destroying the ship) and he would not torch her eggs. And as Dib and the queen stared at each other, Tak, Gaz, Zim, and Mimi ran for it.

The queen had nested herself conveniently in front of the very reactor core they were trying to find, its blue light from the center illuminating her in a very ominous visage. Zim and Gaz took point while Tak and Mimi went to the control panel. There were two slots on either side of a large red button, which had the sign above it that read "SELF DESTRUCT SEQUENCE ACTIVEATED". The instructions said two cards had to be inserted in order to activate it.

What am I going to do now? Tak thought, we need to blow this place? Can we run the risk of blowing ourselves up by blasting this thing? Just then, Mimi turned back into her robot form and revealed from her head the skeleton keycard, the very envy of irken door hackers everywhere.

"And you're only revealing this now why?" Tak asked Mimi. All Mimi could do was just give a look as that of an awkward smile, similar to that of Gir when his master would find him out. Tak then put her card up to the slot in front of her, and Mimi did the same on her side.

"Three, two," Tak counted, "one."

They swiped the cards.

The alarm sounded.

"Attention," Father's voice rang throughout the ship, "I knew this day was coming that you'd all get utterly annoyed with me and want to blow me up. But for those of you who still want to live, you can leave via the escape pods, I guess, andyouhave12minutes.goodluck."

The queen hissed loudly.

"You know, your highness," Zim said, "I don't like your attitude. We're doing you a favor. But until then, eat this." With that, Zim began firing several shoulder cannon blasts at the beasts, but nothing that did too much damage to her hard exoskeleton.

"Dammit, Zim," Gaz said, "What are you doing? We've got to get out of here." She grabbed his hand, and they ran. Gwen wasn't about to take that. She wiped her large claws at Gaz, hoping to take from this impudent creature that which he valued most.

"Gaz, look out!" Dib and Tak shouted in unison. Tak then ran towards her kindred spirit and jumped in front of the claw. Gwen's swipe knocked Tak back 20 feet against a pipe. Upon landing, Tak's head hurt tremendously as she lay on the floor. The image of her human form began to flicker even more than it had earlier until finally it gave out altogether, revealing her true irken form.

Oh no, Tak thought, as she went into a scrunched position on the floor, Dib won't love me like this. I'm going to be ugly to him. He hates irkens; he'll hate me.

"You two keep going," Dib said, "I'll catch up." While Zim and Gaz ran off, Dib fired the flamethrower into the eggs. The queen broke the deal. Tak got hurt. Thus, Dib hurt her back. He ran over to Tak and held out his hand. "Are you okay?" She looked up to see his smiling face, still just as warm and welcoming as he ever was towards her.

"Yes," Tak said, "I'm okay." She picked up her weapon and ran with him, still holding his hand.

Mimi followed closely behind as the queen wailed in rage. She turned around and, opening up her head yet again, releasing her missile launchers, began firing at Gwen and her eggs. She then ran off to go rejoin the others.

Zim and Gaz found themselves surrounded near the elevator door.

"Watch this," Zim said, "The Yautja are excellent lightning channeler. Let's see if the mighty Zim and use such a power. He raised his clawed hand up, and from between his claws shot a small sphere into the air that seemed to hover above their heads. It then began emitting a storm of electricity that seemed to come from Zim's claws and shot all around their immediate areas, at least without hitting Gaz. Zim's arm began to burn as the lighting shot from his claws into the ball, electrocuting each of the Steves and Bens around them. When the creatures had all fallen, the ball sparked into thin air, and Zim dropped his arm in pain.

"You okay, hon?" Gaz asked.

"But of course," Zim said, "The great Zim is okay." He was still nursing his arm as he said this. Gaz put his arm over her shoulder and carried him to the elevator, Dib, Tak, and Mimi following close behind them and running into the door before it shut. Dib hit the button to take them all to the sub hanger's escape pods.

Mimi was still thinking of how to repair Gir with what tools she had, not just because she had a silicon connection with him, but because she thought they might be able to use what he had in his head.

Gwen had followed the team to the elevator before it closed on her. Fortunately for her, another elevator was opening near it. They both lead to the same place.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17 – The Valkyries' Exodus

"Huh," Zim panted out in a half laugh, arm still over Gaz's shoulder, standing in the elevator with Dib and Tak, "Remember how I single handedly ruined that stupid class on earth?"

"Yeah," Gaz said back softly to him, reflecting on their current situation but trying to get lost in what he was saying, "You had a tendency to ruin everything you touched." She said this while smiling at him, and he easily got the signal to give the same half laugh he had previously delivered, still in pain from the lightning burns.

"For whatever reason," Gaz said, "that light show you made reminded me of when we first met."

"And why is this?" Zim asked.

"We first met in that rain storm," Gaz said, "Don't you remember? You picked me up and used me as an umbrella, and I threatened to rip your limbs off? I still would have done that, you know."

"Yes," Zim said, "That would not have surprised me from Zim's chosen love pig."

"Don't push it, man," Gaz said, still half smiling at him, "I might just do it for being called a pig." She kissed her warrior's cheek.

Dib just wanted to vomit. Tak pushed his head to the side and gave him a look that said to get over it. But then after she looked him in the eyes again, she became self conscious and looked down, knowing she did not look human for him now.

"What's wrong?" Dib asked.

"You don't think I'm ugly?" Tak retorted. She looked up at him, arms crossed.

"Are you kidding?" Dib asked rhetorically, "You're beautiful to me no matter what you look like. You're not Zim, right?"

"No," Tak laughed, dropping her arms.

"I heard that, human," Zim said. They continued to ignore him, but this did not bother him as he was still focused on Gaz. Dib and Tak looked into each other's eyes, now seeing something they could not quite make out, but it was a glimmer of something indefinable, something they desired yet did not know how to obtain.

The elevator doors opened, revealing the wide hanger with numerous gray escape pods in front of large shutters. The team ran to two escape pods, as they could only hold two apiece.

"We need to get these online," Dib shouted, running up the ramp, passed the cryo-tubes, and into the cockpit. Tak followed him before noticing Mimi snatching Gir off of Zim's belt, take him to a spot on the floor in between the pods, and attempted to pry his head open with whatever tools she had available. She looked at this and kept it in mind; her SIR was obviously forming a plan. Tak went down to investigate, and Gaz followed, as she thought she might be able to help given her technological knowledge.

Dib and Zim both looked at the control panels. Power had not returned yet.

"Crap!" they both screamed in unison from each other's pod, "It's still not powered up!"

Just then, from the elevator, on the other side of the one they had left, stood Gwen, ready for revenge. Gaz and Tak were the first to see her.

"Guys," Gaz yelled, "stay in there and take care of our flight out. Tak and I have some business to take care of."

"Why?" Zim shouted, "What could you possibly be worried about now? Our lives are at stake!"

"Just do it, guys," Tak said, "We're going to deal with it." They looked at each other and nodded then looked around, seeing two of something they could use as a tool against the beast and ran for it.

Gwen was not as concerned about them now as she was about the large headed one that murdered her babies. She could sense that he was near and went for his escape pod, when she noticed that the synthetic that aided in their destruction was on the ground, wrestling with a broken synthetic's head. Gwen hissed at Mimi, and Mimi ran for it, taking Gir with her. The queen chased her between the pods, around them, and then into an open space where Mimi had nowhere to turn. Gwen edged ever closer to a now out-of-ammunition Mimi, holding her beloved (albeit incapacitated) Gir near her.

"Get away from them, you bitch!" came the shout of two voices in unison from behind her. The queen spun around to see Tak and Gaz both in power suits, ready to fight. Gaz flung one of the arms around and hit the beast in the head, stunning it. Tak took that opportunity to grab her by the throat and flung her against the wall behind them, near the pods Dib and Zim were working on. As Gwen was trying to recover, Gaz used the jet boost to rush at the queen and pin her against the wall.

This still did not stop the beast from attacking Gaz in whatever way she could. She clawed at Gaz's face, whipped her tail at her, and flailed about like a trapped cockroach, all of which Gaz dodged. Tak quickly zoomed over and pinned one of the beast's arms. The queen then began attacking them both at the same time, Tak with her tail and Gaz with her mouthed tongue.

"Mimi, hurry!" Tak shouted. Mimi was still struggling with Gir's head but still to no avail. She wished she had something that could get it open. Suddenly, two SIR units, one green and one pink, appeared next to her and handed her a green glowing screwdriver. This was the first wish granted to a robot in a long time. These two SIR units disappeared closely after that. Mimi then used this magical screwdriver to easily pry open the top of Gir's head like a hot knife through butter.

"Mimi, now!" Tak yelled. Mimi pointed Gir's head at the queen. Just then, out came Minimoose, Zim's other synthetic servant. He looked at the queen for a moment.

"Squeak," Minimoose said after a long pause and, with that, unleashed several volley missile launchers out of his antlers. They then quickly launched at the queen and rained down on her like the 82nd Airborne Division. Gwen screeched as the missiles hit, causing a tremendous explosion that sent both Gaz and Tak flying from their suits.

It did not help that this was the exact time the airlock was opening, with Gaz and Tak flying towards the blackness of space.

"Tak, Gaz," Dib shouted, "We're online. We need to go." Just as he said this and got up to go back out to look for them, Tak and Mimi were flying his way into the hatch, which quickly closed behind her. She fell right into his arms.

"Tak," Dib asked, "Where's Gaz?"

Gaz, Gir, and Minimoose were actually flying near the side of Zim's craft.

"Well, Gaz," Zim said, walking out without realizing what was going on, "I hope that you are proud of your Zim for risking his life in getting the shuttle online." It was not long before he saw that Gaz and his androids were headed for the vacuum of space. Without thinking (a typical trait of his), he jumped out to catch them, only to be taken in the flight towards the infinite black, clumped together with them.

Just before they hit the breaking point between the ship and space, Zim pressed a button on his armor that unleashed the atmospheric inertia bubble, which then released a thin layer that surrounded the four of them.

"Zim," Gaz said as they floated out beyond the ship, "I thought we were going to die."

"Fear not, little Gaz," Zim said, looking down into her eyes, holding her close to him, "This bubble will hold us even as we fall into the Earth's atmosphere, but after that, I can't use it again."

"They'll be fine," Tak said, looking out the window.

"They may be," said a voice over the intercom, "but you won't." The voice was that of Tallest Black, their remote beacon right outside the Odin.

"We might have known you have made it out," Tallest Blue said over the intercom, Dib and Tak's shuttle leaving the docking bay without concern of the awaiting Tallests, "But we can't have any survivors to tell of our operations-gone-bad. That is why we've decided to take care of you before you fly out." They could see the Tallests cruiser, with its immenseness hovering around the docking bay.

"Well," Tak said, "We're out now. Do something. I dare you."

"Tak," Dib asked, "What are you thinking?" She winked at him.

"Very well," Tallest Black said, "Have it your way and die."

Just then, seemingly out of nowhere came, Tallest Red and Purple's cruiser, which then began firing at Blue and Black's.

"We got your distress call, Tak," Red said over the intercom.

"Blue and Black have now been officially stripped of their command for mishandling resources, manipulating personnel, and stealing our Devastus snack stash," Purple said likewise. "Now you and your boy are free to leave. Oh, how romantic." Their craft continued to fire at Blue and Black's cruiser until it finally fell against the now detonating ship.

"No!" yelled both Blue and Black over the intercom before the transmission ended in static. Dib and Tak watched as the Odin exploded behind them in a blaze that resembled a gorgeous sunset.

Gaz held close to Zim in their fall back to Earth. She looked up to see the Odin detonate. It gave off a beautiful golden light, but not as beautiful as that which flew from it, the now free spirits of the dead. Gaz could see them fly in all directions, this way and that, into the stars throughout this heavenly sight. She could see something now behind it, something she could never see before, partially due to her doubt and partially due to her overindulgences in simplicity. But she could see it now; this was the important thing. She could see now what was beyond her gift, that these spirits went on after their half-life of annoying her, and that, someday, she would join them in their beautiful flight through the infinite number of tinkling stars to face the Undiscovered Country.

She held herself closer to Zim and looked up into his eyes. She could see a similar light as that of what she had seen from this, albeit a faint one, but still there nonetheless.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18 – Destination Unknown

Tak switched on the auto-pilot while Mimi plugged herself into the pod's main power source to recharge. Dib was up walking around, holding and drinking a cup of coffee. It was finally over, yet there was a feeling as if some other issue was now troubling them. Dib put his coffee mug on one of the flat consuls (one that was safe enough to do so) when he saw Tak's purple eyes blankly staring out into the starry expanse of space from the cockpit window. He knew exactly what she was thinking; she had been duped into believing she actually had value to the armada when all they did was use her. Even if she went back to Tallest Red and Purple, they would still assign her to that crappy mining facility. Dib did not know everything about the situation but knew a solution.

"Tak," Dib said, causing her to turn and look at him, "Come back with me to Earth. There's nothing to be gained in the Irken Armada. I've observed enough to know that."

"But, Dib," Tak retorted, "I couldn't fit in there. I don't have any more of my resources, and my disguise is busted." These were just excuses; she was trained to adapt without resources and to fix her disguise, no matter how damaged. There was something else on her mind; Dib could see it.

"You're afraid, aren't you?" Dib said, "Irkens don't understand the concept of love and thus, you're afraid of it, especially since it's for me, a human."

"Oh, Dib," she said, looking him in the eye, "I want to. I love you so very much. And that's the trouble; I don't know what to do with these feelings. I've never felt this way towards anyone, only the passion for invasion. But how am I going to get around without eventually being seen? Your people aren't very receptive towards alien life." She stopped right there. They both realized it was the fear of the unknown that was pressing them both. This feeling for both of them was an unknown force that neither could explain but merely acknowledge.

"I love you, too, Tak," Dib responded, "I always have."

They stared into each other's eyes. There, in their irises, plain for them to see was that same indistinguishable light they had seen in the elevator, that same reoccurring theme they could not place yet knew it was something they did not want to let go of. It was the scariest feeling they did not want to let go and revealed itself as a light in both of their eyes. It was also warmth that dwelled within their soul, and that warmth was now connecting with the other through their lips. They closed their eyes and just took in the feeling of the connection of their souls and their love.

For some reason, Dib heard the song "Destination Unknown" by Missing Persons. They may have been unsure of their destination for their new life together, but life as they knew it was a journey and had only just begun.

"Destination Unknown" by Missing Persons was playing on the radio after Zim and Gaz had both found their destination on an island near South Africa. They had landed straight into a missionary camp that gave them clean clothes and food upon their arrival; they did not even mind that Zim was an alien. They accepted him as he was, shockingly enough to both of them. They also supplied Gaz with the tools to fix Gir, who, upon being fixed, began singing his own revision of Les Claypool's "Cosmic Highway", which involved monkeys, weasels, and mashed potatoes. In addition to the new clothes, one of the more gothic women of the mission (no, her sub-culture did not interfere with her beliefs) allotted her a bathing suit, a black two piece with magenta skulls.

She currently sat on the beach, looking out over the ocean, the afternoon sun high in the sky, making sparkles along the waters of the mighty Atlantic. But this was not what she was seeing. Her mind had still not left that feeling, that revelation she had seen on her way back down to Earth. What she saw now was what lay beyond the scene, the Love that moves the sun and the other stars lying beyond the sky and Hell, R'Lyeh, Nifilheim, The Bad Art World, and the other unknown realms of horror lying beneath the sea.

She turned to look at Zim, who was lounging on the white sand, looking straight into the sky, wondering how he would start his empire. He noticed Gaz looking at him and returned her gaze, eyes contacting. Gaz could see that same light in his eyes, albeit a faint one. No words could be said; no words needed to be said. She got up, walked over to him, and lay on top of him, resting her head on his chest, still saying nothing. Their eyes never left one another. Soon, their eyes closed and lips connected, and the light within both of them began to grow. They released all that was hindering them, their anger, their discord, their angst, and found that warmth from within surrounding them and enwrapping them as the afternoon tide came in, splashing upon them as they continued to share that connection they had never felt with anyone before.

Their love for each other was even greater than their love for power. Now, they could share in both loves. Soon, they would start their empire, and all would know the greatness of Zim and Gaz.


	19. Epilogue

Epilogue

Zim and Gaz did start their empire. They began it by doing exactly what NASA had always thought about doing but without the brainpower or motivation to do so: colonizing Mars. The heat source, almost as powerful as their love for one another, melted the ice around the surface, allowing them to grow resources and create a new atmosphere. Through some time, they gained followers (some by coercion, others by the wonders and humanitarianism of force). Eventually, as their strike force grew, it was enough to put up a fight against the Venusian empire, which ended in a treaty that let Zim's next of kin rule Venus, this being Tallest Rain, his and Gaz's daughter. Their son, Tallest Sol, would later rule Mars. From there, they furthered their empire across galaxies, leaving Earth alone for whatever reason.

Dib and Tak began working for the B.P.R.D., along with Hellboy, Agents Mulder and Scully, and Karl Kolchack. They easily accepted Tak into their environment, unlike the Swollen Eyeball, of which would have had her on the dissection table in two seconds. She still had to wear a human disguise in public but did not mind, as she was slowly but surely becoming accustomed to following human practices; this was not to say there were no regrets in it, but it was something she could at least bear. Once she got home from a hard days work, however, she could turn back into her Irken self without being judged for what she was. Her husband, Dib, did indeed become the legendary paranormal investigator as Ripley predicted he would; he was also the one who reinvented the Aurora spy-plane (which Area 51 had been working on forever) using irken ship parts.

In both of their cases, Dib and Tak never had a dull moment in paranormal research, which, it must be said, did not come without its hardship or danger. In the evening, however, they would come home and spend time with their two kids, Josh and Sophie. This particular evening, the Membranes are relaxing on the couch, eating Pocky and watching Ralph Macchio jump kick William Zabka in the face.

Years earlier…

Miss Morebucks had just started her work for the Weyland Company as an intern. She sat in the chair at her desk, feet propped up and eyes melting over the salary and benefits this job would give her; she was completely ignoring the fact that she was on the clock and needed to actually do her job.

She looked out the window, in a state of boredom. Her concentration of her inner thoughts, however, was broken when a large piece of metal fell flaming out of the sky. She was not the only one to see it, but she was the first out the door to investigate. It looked like part of a larger alien spacecraft or at least a room from it. The wreckage smoldered in front of her as she walked towards it. She set foot through the archway she thought might have been the door at one time and proceeded through the heated ruins. She could see something through the fallen debris but could not make it out. Getting closer to it, she began to make out what it was: a large leathery egg.


	20. Updates

I just wrote this to let my readers who have alerted this story without alerting me. I'm actually currently writing two other fan-fic stories: "Phantoms of Silent Hill" (a Danny Phantom/Silent Hill crossover) and "Zim in Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'" (which is both a DATR and ZAGR, Dib and Tak as the Macduffs and Zim and Gaz as the Macbeths). Let me know what you think of the ideas or if you read them, give me an in-depth review; I like hearing how I'm doing.


	21. PostEpilogue for a friend

Zim and Gaz made their touchdown on Mars. The ship's door opened with steps leading down to the lush greenery they left behind while traveling to Venus. Zim stepped down.

"So," Zim said, "I think that went smoothly." He emphasized the last word to effectively remind himself of how well it went with the Venusian queen.

"I'll say," Gaz said, distracted by her GS-5, "She didn't try to bite your large head off this time." Just as she got through saying this, another large ship, covered in brightly colored pastels, with the picture of the US flag, the NASA insignia, and several rainbow drawings, crash landed ten feet from them. The door slid open quickly to reveal a half-beaten Keef.

"Zim," Keef said excitedly, crawling up from the strangled wreckage, slowly standing to his feet,

"Hey, buddy. How ya doin? You didn't answer my emails! Why not?" He wasn't pausing; this was giving Zim and Gaz a headache. "Oh, but it doesn't matter. I came to see you in person! So now we can go fishing, garbage picking, whaling, and playing chess all at the same time! Isn't that what best buddies do!? Doesn't that sound fun, Zim!?"

"I remember you," Gaz said, turning her head to the side in both remembrance and pain of his screeching, "You're the one that stalked my husband and brother. But I think I speak for him in saying he's a very busy man and doesn't have time for that right now." Zim already had his finger up to retort Keef's comment, but he was content with what Gaz was saying.

Keef frowned for a moment but then regained his smile.

"But I'm sure he can make some time for his bestest buddy," Keef said, grinning and shutting his eyes in a naked, naive joy, "because I love him, and he loves me!"

"But you're mistaken," Gaz said, "He doesn't love you, because he loves me. So, beat it."

"But that's impossible," Keef said, eye twitching and face cracking, "He loves me more, and I'm prepared to defend that."

"Then bring it," Gaz said, "Put up or shut up. Either way, I want you to go back to Earth. You're bugging us."

"I'll show you," Keef said, smile returning to his face, "let us duel."

With that, they both lunged for one another, colliding in the air. Gas swung her foot, which Keef blocked. Keef threw a punch, which Gaz pushed up into the air and returned with one of her own into his gut. Keef let out a yelp without lowering his smile while coming down on her with an elbow smash, which sent them both to the ground.

For twenty minutes, the battle between Keef and Gaz continued on without a victor, leaving a bewildered Zim to watch. Keef and Gaz paused for a moment, limping on the ground and staring into each other's eyes with hostility, Keef still grinning widely. They both knew this was futile; there could be no victor between them at this rate. Thus, they decided to settle it in a Soulcalibur 12 tournament. The three of them walked into the ship to set up the game system.


End file.
